Rapper Juice Wrld who died of a suspected opiod overdose after he reportedly swallowed Percocets during a raid of his private jet had raised alarms at another airport last month.
Jarad Higgins, 21, had a seizure after arriving at Chicago Midway at 1.30am Sunday as police discovered his jet laden with 70lbs of cannabis, six bottles of opiates and three pistols.
Higgins, who once rapped he would die before turning 21, had been due to attend his 21st birthday party in the city that night. His birthday was last Monday.
Sources have revealed that last month the rapper and his entourage were mobbed by sniffer dogs at LAX as they prepared to fly to Australia.
The men were subjected to a search by customs officials on November 18, TMZ revealed, before being allowed to board the flight to Sydney.
Higgins once rapped: ‘What’s the 27 Club? We ain’t making it past 21.’ The 27 Club a reference to the long list of musical icons – Jim Morrison, Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix – who have died aged 27.
Jarad Higgins, 21, had a seizure after arriving at Chicago Midway at 1.30am Sunday as police discovered his jet laden with 70lbs of cannabis, six bottles of opiates and three pistols
The search of luggage aboard the jet yielded 70 pounds – or 41 ‘vacuum-sealed’ bags – of marijuana and six bottles of prescription codeine cough syrup, which contains opioids
Higgins began convulsing in the Atlantic Aviation hangar shortly after arriving in the Windy City at 1.30am Sunday.
Officials were poised to raid the private jet following a tip off from the pilot the ‘Lucid Dreams’ star’s jet was carrying guns and drugs, TMZ reported.
As officers began sifting through his and his entourage’s suitcases, the up and coming artist was reportedly seen swallowing several Percocet pills in what witnesses believe was an attempt to hide them.
Sources say the consumption of the pills likely contributed to Higgins’ death in a possible overdose, as, shortly afterwards he began ‘convulsing’ and then suffered a seizure.
An agent is said to have administered Higgins two doses of Narcan, an emergency treatment used when an opioid overdose is suspected.
Higgins eventually woke up after 40 minutes of treatment but was incoherent and bleeding from the mouth, police said.
He’s understood to have been conscious when he was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn but was pronounced dead just an hour later.
Juice Wrld (seen right aboard the jet) is said to have suffered from a Percocet ‘problem’ and had taken ‘several unknown pills’ moments before falling ill
A search of luggage aboard the jet yielded 41 ‘vacuum-sealed’ bags – or 70 pounds – of marijuana and six bottles of prescription codeine cough syrup, which contains opioids.
Investigators also confirmed that two 9mm pistols, a .40-caliber pistol, a high-capacity ammunition magazine and metal-piercing bullets were also found.
One of the rapper’s friends told TMZ that Higgins suffered from a Percocet ‘problem’ and would regularly consume the highly-addictive opioid, which can have fatal side-effects when mixed with alcohol or other substances.
For now, it remains unclear whether the drugs played a role in Higgins’ sudden passing, with a specific cause of death yet to be determined by officials.
An autopsy is slated to be carried out by the Cook County Medical examiner later Monday.
The rapper had been with around 10 or 12 people at the time of the fatal seizure, including his girlfriend Ally Lotti and his two security guards, Henry Dean, 27, of Chicago, and Christopher Long, 36, of California.
Both Long and Dean were arrested by the Chicago Police Department at the airport after they were found to be in possession of the three guns found in the search, in addition to a high-capacity magazine and metal-piercing bullets.
No drug charges have yet been filed against any of the people on board the flight. The marijuana and codeine were found in suitcases that didn’t have name tags on them
Two 9mm pistols and the high-capacity magazine were taken from Dean, police said. A .40-caliber pistol was suspected to be the property of Long.
Dean was charged with carrying a concealed firearm at an airport and possessing a high-capacity magazine and metal-piercing bullets, police said. He had a permit to carry a gun in Illinois, but weapons are banned from being carried in airports.
The rapper had been with around 10 or 12 people at the time of seizure, including girlfriend Ally Lotti, other associates, aircraft staff and two security guards, Henry Dean, 27, of Chicago, and Christopher Long, 36 (above), who was arrested on gun possession charges
Long, meanwhile, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. They have both been released since and are due in court later this month.
No drug charges have yet been filed against any of the people on board the flight.
The marijuana and codeine was found in suitcases that didn’t have name tags on them and an investigation remains ongoing, police said.
Higgins’ jet had flown from Fort Pierce Florida, to Van Nuys California on Saturday. It then departed on to Midway, with the performer scheduled to fly back to California to attend the Rolling Loud Festival in LA this Saturday.
He had flown back to his native Chicago for a belated birthday party taking place in his honor on Sunday night, Fox32 reported, having turned 21 just days earlier on December 2.
Chicago police say they were notified by federal agents while the plane was in the air that ‘weapons and narcotics’ were suspected to be on board the twin-engine Gulfstream jet.
Higgins and his entourage were intercepted by the police department and FBI officials as they entered the lobby of the hangar.
A drug-sniffing dog made a ‘positive alert’ for bags on two luggage carts, the Tribune reported, where the marijuana and codeine was later discovered.
Dean then declared to police he was carrying the two pistols in addition to the high-capacity magazine. The third gun, believed to be Long’s, was found in a camera case along with personal items of his, though he denied ownership of the weapon.
It was at this time that Higgins began convulsing, officers say.
In June, Higgins publicly vowed to Lotti on Twitter that he would finally stop taking the painkiller codeine
Police asked Lotti if he had any known medical issues or had taken any drugs.
Lotti told police her boyfriend didn’t suffer from any medical ailments but that he regularly takes Percocet and ‘has a drug problem’.
In June, Higgins publicly vowed to Lotti on Twitter that he would finally stop taking the painkiller codeine.
‘Bae I’m sorry I be tweaking, you’ve put up with more than ppl know I know I be scaring you, f**k Codeine I’m done,’ he wrote in the post. ‘I love you and im letting it be known publicly that ain’t s**t f***ing up the real love I found. Learn from this everyone. Addiction kills all but you can overcome.’
Higgins’ passing stunned fans and fellow artists alike when the news of his death first broke on Sunday morning.
Under his stage named Juice Wrld, Higgins enjoyed hits with Lucid Dreams in 2018 and All Girls Are the Same.
In his song Legends he rapped: ‘What’s the 27 Club? We ain’t making it past 21. I been going through paranoia.’
He also featured on Travis Scott’s AstroWorld album.
Following the news of his death fans and celebrities paid tribute online, calling him a ‘legend
His Juice Wrld stage name was said to have been inspired by the 1992 film, Juice, starring Tupac Shakur.
On December 3 he tweeted his girlfriend Ally Lotti to say: ‘It’s us forever bb girl.’ He had earlier said he had had ‘one of the best birthdays ever’.
She last tweeted on December 6, writing: ‘you r enough’ and ‘where is your mind’.
Following the news of his death fellow rapper Killy tweeted Sunday morning: ‘Rest In Peace Juice Wrld.’
Fans also paid tribute, calling him a ‘legend’ and ‘one of the most talented and influential artists of the generation’.
In October of this year rock band Yellowcard announced they were suing Juice WRLD for $15 million for copyright infringement.
They claimed he copied melodic elements of their 2006 song Holly Wood Died for his breakthrough 2018 single Lucid Dreams.
Juice Wrld’s stage name was said to have been inspired by the 1992 film, Juice, starring Tupac Shakur. The rapper had only turned 21 just last week
Lucid Dreams is actually structured prominently around a sample of Sting’s 1993 song Shape Of My Heart.
On December 3 he tweeted his girlfriend Ally Lotti to say: ‘It’s us forever bb girl.’ He had earlier said he had had ‘one of the best birthdays ever’.
She last tweeted on December 6, writing: ‘you r enough’ and ‘where is your mind’.
Following the news of his death fellow rapper Killy tweeted Sunday morning: ‘Rest In Peace Juice Wrld.’
Fans also paid tribute, calling him a ‘legend’ and ‘one of the most talented and influential artist of the generation’.
In October of this year rock band Yellowcard announced they were suing Juice WRLD for $15 million for copyright infringement.
They claimed he copied melodic elements of their 2006 song Holly Wood Died for his breakthrough 2018 single Lucid Dreams.
Lucid Dreams is actually structured prominently around a sample of Sting’s 1993 song Shape Of My Heart.