Cannabis might be going mainstream, but that doesn’t mean the world has gotten any less weird about it. As the legal landscape shifts, it seems like some people are determined to take the absurdity to new heights—or lows, depending on your perspective. From medieval catapult stunts to drone deliveries gone disastrously wrong, cannabis-related crimes are a never-ending source of jaw-dropping stupidity and twisted ingenuity. These are the tales of those who thought they could outsmart the law, only to end up as punchlines in the strangest of headlines. Buckle up, because this ride through the cannabis underworld is anything but mellow.
The Catapult Smugglers (2011)
In January 2011, Mexican authorities uncovered a rather medieval attempt at drug smuggling near the Arizona border. Enter the catapult—a device straight out of the Middle Ages, repurposed for launching bales of marijuana over the border fence. The Mexican police stumbled upon this scheme after noticing suspicious activity at the border. They confiscated a 9-foot-tall catapult along with 45 pounds of marijuana ready to be launched. Despite the ingenious throwback method, the smugglers’ plan was catapulted into failure when authorities swooped in, proving that sometimes, old-school just doesn’t cut it in modern crime.
The Marijuana Wedding (April 2022)
Imagine showing up to a wedding, ready to enjoy some chicken or fish, only to find out you’ve been served a side of… marijuana. That’s precisely what happened at a wedding in Florida in April 2022. The bride, Danya Svoboda, and her caterer thought it would be hilarious to lace the wedding food with cannabis, without telling the guests. Things quickly went south as attendees began to feel the unexpected effects—one guest vomited everything up, another thought they were having a heart attack, and someone even started hallucinating that a loved one had died. What started as a wedding celebration turned into a chaotic scene with several guests needing medical attention. The bride and caterer were later charged with food tampering and delivering marijuana. Talk about a wedding to remember—or forget, depending on how much they ingested.
The X-Ray Thieves (2008)
In 2008, a group of thieves in New York City decided to steal something rather unexpected: X-ray films. Why? For the silver, of course! X-ray films contain small amounts of silver, which can be extracted and sold. The thieves managed to get away with thousands of these films from a medical facility. While this wasn’t directly a cannabis crime, the silver extracted from these films was allegedly intended to fund the thieves’ cannabis business. It’s a prime example of how far some will go to finance their green dreams—even if it means pilfering medical supplies.
Smuggling Cannabis in Carrots (2016)
In January 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Pharr, Texas, discovered a shipment of nearly 2,500 pounds of marijuana disguised as carrots. The smugglers had gone to great lengths, wrapping marijuana in orange plastic to make it look like a vegetable. Unfortunately for them, trained drug-sniffing dogs were on hand to spoil the day. The authorities seized the “carrots” worth about $500,000. It’s a case that proves that while you can dress up marijuana like a carrot, it’s still going to get caught—and no one likes a fake vegetable.
The Great Canadian Potato Caper (2010)
In 2010, Canadian authorities busted a bizarre smuggling ring where marijuana was hidden inside hollowed-out potatoes. The smugglers thought they could pass off their stash as part of a legitimate potato shipment. However, border patrol officers became suspicious of the unusually heavy spuds and decided to investigate. They discovered that the potatoes had been expertly hollowed out and stuffed with weed before being resealed. Despite the meticulous work, the criminals were caught, and the scheme was mashed—just like the potatoes.
The High-Flying Drone Delivery (2020)
In a sign of the times, a Canadian man in 2020 attempted to smuggle cannabis into a prison using a drone. This tech-savvy smuggler outfitted a drone with a payload of marijuana, planning to drop it into the prison yard. Unfortunately for him, the drone’s flight path was intercepted by prison officials, and the delivery never made it to its intended recipients. Instead of a successful drop, the man ended up facing charges for the failed mission. It’s a case that shows crime doesn’t always soar to new heights, even with modern technology.
When it comes to cannabis, the only thing more potent than the plant itself might be the bizarre criminal behavior it inspires. Whether it’s smuggling weed in fake vegetables or spiking an entire wedding with THC, these stories show just how far people will go to get their fix or make a buck. But in the end, all these half-baked schemes do is prove one thing: crime might be creative, but it’s rarely smart. So next time you light up, remember these tales of high crimes and just be glad your biggest problem is finding the remote, not dodging the cops.
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