Romanian celebrities caught driving under the influence: from Firicel to Puya, a long list
Actor Toma Cuzin, known from Las Fierbinți, was detained after an accident in Teleorman with a positive DrugTest result. The case reopens debate on decriminalising drug use.
Romanian celebrities caught driving under the influence as Parliament debates decriminalisation
Actor Toma Cuzin, known to the public as "Firicel" from the television series Las Fierbinți, was detained on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, after causing a traffic accident in Teleorman County, according to Gândul. The incident occurred one day earlier, on 12 October, at approximately 18:45, in the commune of Peretu.
Cuzin was driving from the direction of Alexandria towards Roșiori de Vede and allegedly failed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of him, resulting in a collision that caused only material damage. The breath test for alcohol came back negative, but the DrugTest apparatus apparently indicated the presence of psychoactive substances. Police also established that the actor was driving with a suspended licence.
This is not the first time Cuzin has had problems with the law. In November 2022, the District Court of Sector 3 imposed a consecutive sentence of one year in prison with the suspension of execution during a probation period of two years. Previously, the actor had been investigated in a case concerning possession of cannabis for personal consumption, though that case did not result in a conviction.
Decriminalisation proposal opposed by the General Prosecutor's Office
The case comes at a time when Parliament is debating a profound amendment to Law 143/2000. On 5 October 2026, unaffiliated senator Victoria Stoiciu, along with Cristian Ghinea (USR) and Daniel Fenechiu (PNL), submitted a bill proposing that possession, purchase or cultivation of drugs intended for personal consumption should be sanctioned as a misdemeanour rather than as a criminal offence. The proposed fines would range between 1,000 and 1,500 lei for lower-risk drugs and between 1,500 and 3,000 lei for high-risk drugs — compared with the current sentence of six months to three years' imprisonment.
The General Prosecutor's Office has spoken against the initiative, warning that reduced sanctions could weaken tools for combating the drug phenomenon. On 12 October, PNL senator Daniel Fenechiu withdrew his signature from the proposal.
The initiators justify the bill on the basis of data from the explanatory memorandum: drug-related cases account for 77.51 per cent of DIICOT's workload, and approximately 80 per cent of individuals prosecuted criminally in this category would be users — not traffickers. The bill does not, however, decriminalise driving under the influence of psychoactive substances; drivers caught continue to face criminal prosecution.
Dorian Popa, convicted in 2026
One of the most widely reported cases in Romanian entertainment remains that of Dorian Popa. The artist and influencer was stopped on 27 October 2023 in the locality of Domnești, Ilfov County, whilst driving a vehicle. Tests confirmed the presence of cannabis in his system.
Popa admitted that he had consumed prohibited substances, claiming that he had not done so on the day of the traffic stop. In February 2026, the Bucharest Court of Appeal issued the final decision: eight months' imprisonment with suspended execution of the sentence, a probation period of two years, and an obligation to perform 60 days of unpaid community service.
Puya, tested positive for cocaine in Dorobanți
Puya, whose real name is Dragoș Gărdescu, came to the attention of the Traffic Police on 27 April 2022, in the Dorobanți area of Bucharest. The breath test for alcohol came back negative; the DrugTest apparatus apparently indicated a positive result for cocaine. The artist was taken to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for the collection of biological samples and subsequently interviewed at the Traffic Police headquarters.
Sources cited by Gândul claimed that Puya exercised his right to remain silent, refusing to make statements before the investigators. Police opened a criminal case for driving a vehicle under the influence of psychoactive substances.
Ana Morodan, two incidents on the same day
Ana Morodan, known as the "Digital Countess", came to the attention of police in March 2023 following two traffic incidents that occurred on the same day in Bucharest. In the first, the influencer allegedly failed to observe police officers' signals and collided with two vehicles, subsequently refusing to provide biological samples — a fact which led to the opening of a criminal case and suspension of her licence.
A few hours later, Morodan was stopped in traffic again, despite no longer having the right to drive, and on this occasion she agreed to testing.
Consumption that transcends the private sphere
The accumulated cases from recent years illustrate a central argument in the legal debate: the effects of consumption of psychoactive substances do not always remain within the private sphere. The decriminalisation bill does not address the offence of driving under the influence of drugs, however its critics, including the General Prosecutor's Office, warn that a more permissive message regarding consumption could amplify risks in traffic and in other public spaces.
Current legislation — a sentence of six months to three years for possession of high-risk drugs for personal consumption — has evidently not discouraged even public figures with national prominence.
Source: Gândul