Troubled singer Pete Doherty was arrested on suspicion of stealing a car after being chased by police the wrong way up a one-way street in Birmingham city centre.
The Babyshambles front-man was held for possession of Class A drugs after he was followed by officers in an unmarked car west-bound on the M6 into the city.
Doherty, driving a blue 3-litre Jaguar, was headed off by another police car and two motorcycles on Colmore Row at about 9.15pm on Monday.
The 26-year-old on-off boyfriend of Kate Moss is serving a 12-month community service order after pleading guilty to seven charges of drug possession this month.
Doherty was arrested by West Midlands Police and questioned overnight on suspicion of stealing a car in London and being in possession of Class A drugs before being released on bail yesterday morning.
Two other men, aged 18 and 19 and both from Dundee, were questioned on the same charges and released on bail.
Inspector Simon Westwood, from Central Motorway Police Group said: "We were trying to find the car and then we found it - so we followed it.
"It was coming up the motorway towards Birmingham. I understand three men were arrested. It was reported stolen from the Metropolitan force area."
Doherty's former band-mates from The Libertines were playing at the Carling Academy in Birmingham on Monday night, less than a mile from where the singer was arrested.
Carl Barat, Gary Powell and Anthony Rossomando from the band were playing in their new outfit called Dirty Pretty Things, along with Didz Hamond.
It is unclear whether Docherty was planning to meet with his former bandmates, who he has a tempestuous relationship with.
An eye-witness to the arrest said: "When the police approached the driver's side Doherty got out without a struggle, he must have known it was a fair cop and that he had been headed off.
"He looked completely out of it, staring into space and looked pale and washed out.
"He didn't seem too steady on his feet and had to be guided into the back of a Volvo estate, where he was questioned for around 15 minutes. The other two were questioned in the Jaguar.
"He was taken away in the back of the Volvo estate and a police officer drove the Jaguar to Steelhouse Lane police station where I assumed they were going to be questioned.
"I was stood on the pavement right by them during the whole time, the police were obviously concentrating on the arrest."
Doherty's band Babyshambles recently resumed a tour which was rescheduled after the singer was held in custody on drugs charges.
Babyshambles had to cancel dates in Bristol, Glasgow, Newcastle and London following his arrest in January.
Doherty was held in Pentonville Prison in north London for 13 nights and was sentenced at Ealing Magistrates Court earlier this month to community service.
He was ordered to attend a drug rehabilitation programme and warned he could face prison if he broke his community service order and has subsequently vowed to "start a drug-free life".
