A man in Spain was arrested by police last Sunday in possession of more than 1,000 marijuana plants before claiming that they were simply “peppermint,” News Week reports.
The police stopped a van being driven by the man in the Arganzuela district of Madrid after witnessing him pull an “irregular maneuver.” Shortly after he was asked for documentation, the officers noticed a series of packages hidden by sheets in the passenger seat of the van.
Naturally, they asked about them and claim that he became nervous and stated that they were nothing more than plastic boxes. The officers weren’t convinced and, upon opening them, found a host of marijuana plants – with hundreds of more being uncovered at the back of the van. All up, 1,130 plants were seized. A contract for the purchase of a boat and a navigation license were also found, alongside roughly $660 in cash.
Also Read: Criminal Mastermind Parks Car With Marijuana At Police K-9 Training Lot
It’s reported that the man was arrested at the scene for an alleged crime against public health which is a common charge in Spain for those involved in the growth, preparation, trafficking, promotion or illegal possession of narcotics.
Spain’s laws regarding cannabis are relatively relaxed and it’s hard to say what kind of punishment the van driver may face. News Week notes that the personal cultivation and consumption of the drug in private areas is decriminalized.
One thing is crystal clear; marijuana and peppermint do not smell alike. And, in any case, officers can tell the difference, so there was no way that man was getting away with it.
