Cops in Florida were thiiiiiiis close to making a drug bust on Rick Ross' yacht ... if not for a quick-thinking cohort who ditched the evidence at the last minute ... this according to law enforcement.

A rep for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (yes, they can arrest you) tells us officers flagged down Rick's boat on Thursday after noticing the odor of weed.

We're told cops boarded the water vessel and conducted a search ... but found nothing.

Now get this ... cops tell us one of Rick's homies ADMITTED to smoking weed onboard the ship ... but claimed he threw the dope overboard when he noticed the officers. 

The plan WORKED -- a rep for the FWCC says because the officers didn't find any marijuana on board, no arrests were made ... and no further investigation will be conducted.

The lesson -- see a cop, ditch your weed in the ocean.

Rapper Rick Ross can keep his name, thanks to an L.A. County Superior Court judge who shut down a bid from former drug dealer "Freeway" Rick Ross who tried to hoard the name.

"Freeway" Rick Ross had filed suit against the rapper, claiming ownership of the name.  In fact, the rapper has strongly intimated in his songs his name was inspired by the drug dude.

In the song "Hustlin" for example, Ross makes several references to large-scale drug dealing -- despite what Freeway says ... the rapper never dealt drugs in his life.

But the judge today ruled "Freeway" Rick has no case, and threw the lawsuit out.



4:50 PM PDT -- "Freeway" Rick Ross tells TMZ he's pretty bummed out about the judge's decision ... saying, "I got hit in the stomach today ... I feel s**tty."

Ross adds ... "[Rick] had nine high profile attorneys and I had three volunteer non-high profile attorneys. I had no money to get the big name lawyers so I couldn’t go in there with a monster team like him."

He concludes, "The world knows the truth ... that [Rick] stole my identity and shame on him that he won’t give it back. I hope to appeal this because you shouldn’t be allowed to steal someone’s identity and get away with it."

Cops are looking to speak with rapper Rick Ross ... after a 40-year-old man was shot to death in front of his Miami Gardens home this morning ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Ross was NOT home at the time of the shooting and at this point in the investigation, he's not considered a suspect.

We're told cops found the victim laying inside a gate at the home.


Sources tell us ... investigators don't know if the victim has any connection to Ross, but since he is listed as the owner of the property, cops want to ask him a few questions about the situation.

So far, no comment from Rick's camp.

Rick Ross is adamant ... he didn't father a 3-year-old boy in Georgia to a destitute woman -- despite a recent paternity suit filed against the rapper -- and now, he wants to prove it ... with a DNA test.

The paternity suit was filed in Broward County by Florida Department of Revenue -- on behalf of 36-year-old Tyrisha Childers, who claims Ross knocked her up a few years ago ... and still hasn't paid a dime of child support.

According to the docs, Childers needs all the help she can get -- with zero income apart from $694 a month in disability payments. Worse, Childers claims she has absolutely no money in the bank.

But Ross filed his own response soon after -- claiming he never even slept with Childers ... let alone got her pregnant ... and he wants to prove it with a DNA test.

We've reached out to both Ross and Childers for comment -- so far, no response.

Rick Ross will not be caught off guard in case he suffers another medical emergency -- the rapper now travels with his own special medical kit, just in case the seizures strike again ... TMZ has learned.

As TMZ first reported, Ross suffered not one ... but two seizures on the same day in October while traveling to an event. 

According to multiple sources, Ross wants to make sure he's prepared in case it happens again ... and put together a kit that includes 3 different prescription medications, vitamins, water and an inhaler. 

We're told Ross is serious about having the kit near him at all times ... and often requires a member of his entourage to carry it around wherever he goes.

There are worse things an entourage member can be asked to carry around.

Calls to Ross' rep were not returned.

Rick Ross says he hasn't had a good night's sleep in 5 years -- and claims the lack of ZZZs is what caused him to suffer two seizures in a matter of hours last month.

Ross appeared on BET's "106 & Park" today ... his first interview since he battled through a pair of mid-air seizures back on October 14. Ross says his doctors tested him for cancer, diabetes, HIV and more ... but the tests revealed the rapper is "totally healthy."

In the end, Ross says, "It was a case of me not getting enough rest, enough sleep" ... but now, The Boss says he's making sure to leave room for naps.

TMZ has obtained the 911 call placed moments after Rick Ross suffered his first seizure on board a commercial airplane earlier this month.

According to the caller -- a rep for Delta airlines -- the plane was landing for a medical emergency involving a first class passenger ... but the caller never identifies Rick Ross by name.

As we first reported, Rick suffered another seizure later that same day ... on a separate flight.

Ross postponed an L.A. concert last weekend after promoters felt it was in his best interest to take a break.

With his health still a major concern, Rick Ross has decided to play it easy this weekend ... rescheduling his L.A. concert for 2012 so he can focus on his recovery.

As TMZ first reported, Rick suffered two seizures last week before a performance in Memphis -- which he canceled -- and promoters think it's still too soon for Ross to get back on stage.

Promoters believe Ross needs more time to get better -- so they contacted his people and the two camps agreed to reschedule the L.A. performance to January.

Promoters also tell TMZ, "Pushing [Ross] to do a show that he was not prepared to do was not beneficial to anyone."

R&R > Hot Wings

No more emergency landings ... for now -- TMZ has learned Rick Ross will be traveling back home to Atlanta on his friend's badass tour bus ... after suffering two in-flight seizures last week.

Ross -- who was hospitalized in Alabama Friday -- was picked up by his friend DJ Khaled ... who transported him to Memphis in his luxury tour bus for the opening of a chicken wing joint last night.

Sources close to Ross tell us ... Khaled has offered to take Ross back to Atlanta in the bus, so he won't have to risk another in-flight emergency.

We're told the journey home is scheduled to begin at some point today.

After two in-flight medical emergencies, rapper Rick Ross FINALLY made it to Memphis this weekend for the grand opening of a chicken wing joint.

TMZ broke the story ... Ross suffered his first seizure on a commercial flight, which had to be diverted so he could receive medical care.

Hours later, Ross got back on a private jet ... and suffered ANOTHER seizure. The plane was also diverted ... but this time Ross was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

But Ross eventually made it to Memphis ... because Ross' friend, DJ Khaled, posted a photo last night ... showing the rapper sipping on a drink in front of a Tennessee Wingstop. Khaled noted, "My brother ROZAY!!IS GOOD!!!"

It's unclear HOW Ross actually got to Memphis -- or how he plans to get home.

Rick Ross will NOT take the stage tonight in North Carolina ... this after his Friday night health scare left him hospitalized twice for seizures.

A rep for the Greensboro Coliseum, where Ross was scheduled to perform, had previously told TMZ they had been contacted by Ross' people and told he would be there.

But when TMZ called the arena again around 6:50 PM ET, the deputy director of the Coliseum said Ross would no longer be performing. He would not elaborate.

Ross also cancelled his show last night in Memphis.

Reps for Ross have not gotten back to us for comment.