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Pulkovo Saint Petersburg Airport: German arrested for cannabis gummy bears
Photo: Anatoly Maltsev / EPA
A 38-year-old German man was arrested at Saint Petersburg International Airport for alleged possession of cannabis gummy bears. As the Russian customs authorities announced, a plastic bag with the inscription "Fink Green Goldbears" and a picture of a cannabis plant was discovered in the man's luggage. The package contained six cannabis gummy bears with a total weight of around 20 grams. According to the strict Russian drug laws, the German faces up to seven years in prison.
According to the customs authorities, a rapid test confirmed the presence of the substance tetrahydrocannabinol. Since it is a narcotic, transport across the border is prohibited, it was said. The 38-year-old flew from Hamburg via Istanbul to Saint Petersburg. According to authorities, he wanted to meet a woman he met online and travel through Russia.
"The passenger explained that at the end of last year he bought ten gummies containing marijuana in a specialty store in his home country," the authorities said. Accordingly, he ate these on long flights “for a restful sleep.” He stated that he had never had any problems with other customs authorities before.
Griner case: months in prison for some cannabis oil
In February 2022, US basketball player Brittney Griner, who also plays in Russia, was arrested at a Moscow airport after e-cigarette cartridges containing small amounts of cannabis oil were found in her luggage. Six months later, the then 32-year-old was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling.
At the end of 2022, after months of imprisonment, Griner was released in exchange for a Russian arms dealer imprisoned in the United States.
aeh/AFP