Here’s your bizarre story of the day. The singer of clown-themed Iron Maiden tribute band Powerclown has been arrested in Japan for drug smuggling. According to various sources, Daniel Whitmore (aka Dicksee Di’Anno) was charged for attempting to bring $7 million of white powder into Japan.

Rough times are ahead for the Vancouver musician, as Japan holds strict, no-tolerance drug laws. Whitmore, 44, tried to bring a 10 kilogram haul of stimulants into the country, allegedly hiding the substance in a guitar case and in tea canisters.

“I don’t know why he would’ve thought this was an option for anything,” friend Joseph Lambert told ANN (above). “I mean, he could have always asked for help. I think somebody told him he had to do it because this does not seem like Dan. I’ve seen Dan desperate for money. Nothing like this. This is not desperate for money, this is something else.”

The day before Whitmore’s flight from Vancouver, the musician posted on Facebook, “Are you an Asian drug dealer? Because you’re bringing me down…”

Powerclown released the following statement after Whitmore’s arrest:

With regards to certain legal actions taken against a certain member of one of my clients, Powerclown, I hereby release the following statement from the band.Sincerely, Raymond Paip - Attorney at Large.
Flags are flying half mast at the Powerclown circus tent. I assure you, any frowns we are wearing are real. Painted on or not. All we can do is hope for the best for him. Clownery and parlour tricks, whether by him or us ain't gonna do no good. Even with his voice, the voice of a songbird, and his velvet-painting-smooth charm, he wont be able to talk his way out of these hijinks, even if he did speak Japanese.While none of us clowns condone Dicksee's actions, or recommend anyone else attempting something this foolish, we do hope for the best for our grease-painted pal. We hope that by some small...make that large...miracle, he somehow manages to slide into his cock-pink pants and dance himself back home to face this different form of music he has created for himself. We love you Dicksee. If you somehow make it back here, and we hope you do, we may even go easy on you. Maybe. No promises.
-Sketchy Klown

If found guilty, Whitmore could face up to 10 years in prison. Watch the ANN news report on the musician’s arrest above.

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