Marathon, Florida (CNN) -- It's usually the bad guys who leave ransom notes, but in the Florida Keys, it was the cops who tried it -- and it helped them bag a suspected marijuana grower.
Police say a man called a phone number -- left anonymously by police after they confiscated some marijuana plants -- in hopes of getting the plants back. Instead, the man got arrested.
Monroe County sheriff's department special investigations detectives said they seized six large marijuana plants from a vacant, wooded lot, in Marathon, Florida, after they were tipped off by a citizen. Detectives left behind their own version of a ransom note, hoping to get a response.
"Thanks for the grow!" read the note, which included a phone number. "You want them back ? Call for the price ... let's talk."
Col. Rick Ramsay of the sheriff's office said detectives "were laughing to see if somebody was dumb enough to call back."
About 20 minutes after the note was left, the phone rang, and a man asked what he would have to do to get the plants back, police said.
"They were shocked this guy called. They negotiated back and forth over a price, and finally settled at $200," said Ramsay.
Detectives met the man on a nearby street corner, and he allegedly paid $200 without knowing who he was paying.
Police said a 48-year-old man was arrested on charges of cultivating and selling marijuana as well as possession of drug paraphernalia. Ramsay said officers confiscated a ledger book that contained detailed information on the growing operation including "when he planted, fertilized, watered, and harvested."
"He even named the plants. One was TNT, and another was Diesel," Ramsay said.
Pot grower calls police to get his plants back
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Stanky Danky
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Re: Pot grower calls police to get his plants back
My first thoughts was, 'silly' man for ringing but once you let it sink in the following hits :Stanky Danky wrote:Marathon, Florida (CNN) -- It's usually the bad guys who leave ransom notes, but in the Florida Keys, it was the cops who tried it -- and it helped them bag a suspected marijuana grower.
Police say a man called a phone number -- left anonymously by police after they confiscated some marijuana plants -- in hopes of getting the plants back. Instead, the man got arrested.
Confiscated ... is that the new term for theft.?? was there breaking and entering?
Isn't this pro-active entrapment? What about the law's for-baying Law enforcement not breaking laws....
not to mention the police SOLD (allegedly of course) the cannabis .... doesn't that count as trafficking etc etc
I mean in the eyes of the law the grower is currently acting illegally, but IMHO and I'm no American Lawyer the Law enforcement have confessed to several crimes in their little PR stunt.
how this plays is all in the hands of the editors of the media thou
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Stanky Danky
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Re: Pot grower calls police to get his plants back
That was my thought when I read the article. He could try to use this as his defense, but I don't know how well that would work.davidw wrote: Isn't this pro-active entrapment?
Re: Pot grower calls police to get his plants back
Stanky Danky wrote: "He even named the plants. One was TNT, and another was Diesel," Ramsay said.
rotfl.
No Victim? No Crime.
Re: Pot grower calls police to get his plants back
exactly what i was thinkingdavidw wrote: Isn't this pro-active entrapment? What about the law's for-baying Law enforcement not breaking laws....
not to mention the police SOLD (allegedly of course) the cannabis .... doesn't that count as trafficking etc etc
I mean in the eyes of the law the grower is currently acting illegally, but IMHO and I'm no American Lawyer the Law enforcement have confessed to several crimes in their little PR stunt.