British singer George Michael was arrested by police in London early Sunday morning (Feb 26), under suspicion of possessing, and being under the influence of, drugs.

The incident started when police received an anonymous phone call saying there was a man slumped at the wheel of a car in the Hyde Park area of the city.

Officers arrived with an ambulence to the scene. But after being medically evaluated, it was determined that Michael was not suffering any injuries, so he did not require a trip to the hospital.

Upon searching the singer and the vehicle, police found several "Class C" drugs. This category covers several controlled substances, such as cannabis, club drugs, tranquilizers and some painkillers. Officers suspect the drugs found were cannabis and GHB (aka liquid ecstasy), a popular club drug.

The singer was eventually released on bail, but must return next month to face official charges. This could be serious for Michael, as British law states anyone convicted of possessing Class C drugs can be jailed for up to two years and face an unlimited fine.

Michael has yet to comment on the arrest or the charges against him.

This isn't the first time he's been in trouble with the law. In 1998, Michael was arrested in Los Angeles for lewd behaviour and public exposure in a bathroom after being spotted by an undercover policeman.

It was this incident that led to his admission that he was indeed gay. Today, Michael and his partner of nearly 10 years, Kenny Goss, are planning a civil union ceremony under Britain's new laws that offer gays many of the same legal rights as heterosexual married couples.

At 42, Michael is one of the world's most successful artists, selling more than 85 million records worldwide, both as half of the duo that comprised Wham!, and later as a solo artist. According to sources, he had actually been planning to retire from recording, with sales of his recent cd barely registering on the charts.

For more information on George Michael, visit his official site at www.georgemichael.com.

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