Russian TikToker Nekoglai Arrested in Moldova on Drug Trafficking Charges

Nikolai Lebedev, a Russian-speaking TikToker known as Nekoglai, was arrested in Moldova on September 21, 2026, along with his wife on suspicion of drug trafficking and operating a drug den in a suburb of Chișinău. According to Moldovan police and local media reports, Lebedev allegedly invited minor followers from his TikTok audience to his home to consume prohibited substances. During a search of his residence on September 16, authorities discovered two packages of narcotics, electronic scales, and equipment for preparing and processing drugs. A court issued a 30-day arrest order for both suspects following their initial 72-hour detention. If convicted, the couple faces sentences of 7 to 15 years in prison under Moldovan law on drug trafficking and distribution in especially large quantities. During the arrest, Lebedev resisted police and attacked officers, while his wife attempted to flee but was apprehended. Lebedev, who was born in Moldova and later lived in Russia, was deported from Russia to Moldova in 2022 after publishing content that mocked a Russian soldier, which violated Russian migration law.