Maine police return stolen marijuana plants worth nearly $13,000

Acting on an alleged confession, police said they discovered 17 marijuana plants worth approximately $12,800 hidden in a nearby wooded area.

It is illegal under federal law to distribute marijuana to anyone for any reason, and Ellsworth police were fully aware of that fact, but remained unclear on whether state law would give them leeway to return the stolen property.

It’s a touchy subject, too: there was a time when even so much as passing a joint could get a first time offender locked up for dealing drugs, and the potential for exposing state employees to federal prosecution has been a concern for governors in states that have legalized medical marijuana.

Despite the uncertainty between state and federal law, police said Monday that they’d returned the stolen marijuana to Davis, who told Bangor that he’d only be able to salvage about 15 percent of the grow.


[link to www.rawstory.com]