Wyclef Jean Handcuffed in Mistaken ID Pullover

Wyclef Jean blasted cops in L.A. for slapping the cuffs on him overnight, thinking he was an armed robbery suspect.

Wyclef and 2 female passengers, one of them his manager, were pulled over by L.A. County Sheriff's deputies around 1:30 AM in West Hollywood. Law enforcement sources tell us his vehicle matched the description of a car used in an armed robbery right around the same time, in the same neighborhood -- and Wyclef was wearing a red bandana ... also matching the suspect description.

As for how he ended up in handcuffs -- we're told one of the women got out of the vehicle abruptly, and while talking to deputies ... Wyclef reached toward his waistband. Deputies put on the cuffs for about 6 minutes while they sorted this out.

One of Wyclef's passengers shot video of him blasting LAPD (it was really the Sheriff's Dept.) for detaining him. We're told 'Clef and his passengers were released once deputies realized there were no women with the real suspect.

As it turns out, that suspect was apprehended around the same time.