German Rapper 18 Karat Loses Appeal, Faces Deportation to Portugal

The German rapper 18 Karat, currently serving a prison sentence for drug offenses, is set to be deported to his native Portugal. His attempt to halt the deportation through a legal challenge has failed.

The Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia dismissed an urgent appeal filed by the musician. This ruling is final and cannot be appealed. The court upheld a previous decision by the Dortmund Administrative Court, which cited "compelling reasons of public order" for ending the rapper's stay in Germany.

18 Karat, whose real name is Ivo Vieira Silva, was sentenced in December 2022 by the Dortmund Regional Court to six years and three months for drug trafficking. Authorities stated he was involved in large-scale drug dealing and had not distanced himself from the criminal network involved. His lawyer called the court's decision a "disgrace to the rule of law."

Reports suggest the rapper was informed of his imminent deportation, potentially occurring overnight. He had been residing in an open correctional facility. Despite his success in the German music charts over the past decade, his criminal convictions have led to this outcome.