Corpus Christi cops make HUGE drug bust!! Oh, wait... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

FuglyStick · 05-26-2010, 04:40 PM

Texas cops mistake actual weed for marijuana, spend hours doing yard work | Raw Story

Quote:

Like the old song goes, one of these things is not like the other...

However, remind a police officer in Corpus Christi, Texas of those famed Cookie Monster lyrics and they're likely to give you an annoyed look.

That's because a recently discovered cache of plants, initially pegged by officials speaking to local news as "one of the largest marijuana plant seizures in the police department's history," turned out to be a relatively common prairie flower of little significance.

Texas officers ultimately spent hours laboring to tag and remove up to 400 plants from a city park, discovering only after a battery of tests that they had been sweating over mere Horse Mint, a member of the mint family -- effectively turning their ambitious drug bust into mere yard work.

The plants, which bear very few aesthetic similarities to cannabis, were reported by an unnamed youth who came across them while riding a bike in the park around 8 p.m. on Thursday. Upon visual inspection, police apparently agreed that the inoffensive plants had to go.

Ultimately, officers were reduced to conducting chemical tests to learn their "weed" was really just that: an actual weed.

"That shows exactly the caliber of police work that is done in Corpus christi, Tx," commenter Derick Sillers opined in a local NBC affiliate's comments section.

"The resident of corpus and nueces county should seriously be concerned with how their tax dollars are spent," he continued. "[This] is the same police department that serves, protects and investigates you.... does it really take that long to find out you don't have marijuana."

"Officers did not explain how their big 'drug haul' will be disposed of, now that they’ve spent untold hours and plenty of taxpayer money clearing weeds of the the city park," writer Steve Elliott summarized for News Junkie Post.

The tale is, at very least, a compelling argument for accurate, non-fear-based drug education in public schools, which advocacy groups say is sorely lacking.

blahblah454 · 05-26-2010, 05:04 PM

Well I hope it was a nice day for them while they were gardening.

ring · 05-26-2010, 05:16 PM

Mint? They should send it all, to the next tea party.

silent_jay · 05-26-2010, 05:32 PM

They mistook this for weed?

Back to identifying marijuana 101 for them.

Aladdin Sane · 05-27-2010, 12:37 PM

On the positive side, this pretty much gives Corpus Christie pot farmers the green light to plant wherever they want.

Fremen · 05-27-2010, 03:45 PM

"That's some fine police work there, Lou."

------

Is it true police departments try to hire officers with average IQ's?

MSD · 05-27-2010, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silent_jay

They mistook this for weed?

Back to identifying marijuana 101 for them.

If watching documentaries about police is any indication, the average officer's knowledge of illegal drugs might just be enough to graduate from the DARE program. The cops I know in real life know better, but they're also not the type to care all that much about someone smoking weed unless someone's driving or otherwise endangering people while high.

ring · 05-27-2010, 05:05 PM

That flower on the left in the background, is a Gazania.

ObieX · 05-28-2010, 04:33 AM

I always thought one of the best ways to force legalization would be for everyone who smokes to go out and play "Johnny Weed Seed" and toss seeds just everywhere they go. Soon enough there would be more wild do0b growing that eradicating it would be too costly or difficult.

The_Dunedan · 05-28-2010, 06:09 AM

And people actually -wonder- why I don't trust Government and don't care much for cops*. This. This is why.

*As distinct from Peace Officers.

05-27-2010, 12:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Aladdin Sane Degenerate Location: San Marvelous	On the positive side, this pretty much gives Corpus Christie pot farmers the green light to plant wherever they want. __________________ Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

05-27-2010, 03:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Fremen With a mustache, the cool factor would be too much Location: left side of my couch, East Texas	"That's some fine police work there, Lou." ------ Is it true police departments try to hire officers with average IQ's? __________________ Google

05-28-2010, 04:33 AM	#9 (permalink)
ObieX Pickles Location: Shirt and Pants (NJ)	I always thought one of the best ways to force legalization would be for everyone who smokes to go out and play "Johnny Weed Seed" and toss seeds just everywhere they go. Soon enough there would be more wild do0b growing that eradicating it would be too costly or difficult. __________________ We Must Dissent.

05-26-2010, 05:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
blahblah454 Let's put a smile on that face Location: On the road...	Well I hope it was a nice day for them while they were gardening.

05-26-2010, 05:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
ring ░ Location: ❤	Mint? They should send it all, to the next tea party.

05-26-2010, 05:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
silent_jay Her Jay Location: Ontario for now....	They mistook this for weed? Back to identifying marijuana 101 for them.

05-27-2010, 05:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
ring ░ Location: ❤	That flower on the left in the background, is a Gazania.

05-28-2010, 06:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
The_Dunedan Junkie	And people actually -wonder- why I don't trust Government and don't care much for cops. This. This is why. As distinct from Peace Officers.