No charges to be brought against Joel Madden in marijuana incident

SYDNEY, June 12 (UPI) -- Musician Joel Madden said he appreciated how police "handled the situation" when he was kicked out of a hotel in Australia this week.

Madden, 34, is the lead singer for the band Good Charlotte, the husband of starlet Nicole Richie and a coach on the Australian version of "The Voice."

"Sunday while I was at work, a hotel employee found a small amount of marijuana in my hotel room. The police were called and responded. Sydney is my adopted home and I appreciate the way the NSW police handled the situation. They have informed me there will be no charges. I hope this didn't cause too much drama for everyone," Madden said in a statement.

Madden was asked to leave the Darling Hotel in Sydney's Star casino after a maid discovered a small quantity of marijuana while cleaning his room. Hotel management called police to report the incident and investigators arrived to talk to Madden, but no charges are expected to be brought against him, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

New South Wales law permits authorities to issue a citation for the possession of such a small amount of drugs instead of arresting the person, the newspaper said.