A member of Justin Bieber's entourage was arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession after L.A. police searched the Canadian pop star's California mansion Tuesday in connection with an egg-throwing incident.
Police executed a search warrant on Bieber's home looking for evidence connecting the singer to an egging on a neighbour's home, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said. About a dozen investigators were involved.
A man in Bieber's entourage was arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession, Lt. David Thompson told The Associated Press. He said the drug was in plain sight inside Bieber's home.
The suspect was later identified as 20-year-old rapper Xavier Smith, known as Lil Za. Smith is being held on $20,000 bail.
Police said Bieber, 19, was not arrested, but remains under investigation. "He has not been arrested, nor has he been exonerated," Thompson said.
Investigators said Bieber was co-operative during the search, but has yet to be interviewed. Thompson said he expects the interview will take place when Bieber's lawyer can be present.
Police were looking for surveillance footage as part of Tuesday鈥檚 search. Thompson would not specify on what evidence was taken from the star's home, but said officers weren't focused on the contents of Bieber's fridge.
Police said the egging incident caused thousands of dollars in damage to the neighbour's home, which has custom wood features.
Thompson said a judge had authorized the warrant to search Bieber's home, and stressed that the damage to the neighbour's house upgrades the severity of the crime.
"I get that eggs don't seem that significant, but it does rise to the level of a felony," Thompson said. "There is a victim in this case who has extensive damage done to their home. And that's a serious incident."
On Sunday, officials confirmed that Bieber had been named as a suspect in a misdemeanour vandalism and assault crime report for allegedly throwing eggs at his neighbour's home in their gated Calabasas neighbourhood Thursday evening.
The neighbour claims his home was egged as he stood on the balcony with his daughter.
This isn't the first time Bieber has been investigated by the sheriff's department.
Last October, prosecutors declined to charge the star after receiving a complaint that he was driving recklessly through Calabasas. There were also no charges laid after a photographer accused Bieber of attacking him in November 2012.
With files from The Associated Press
