A Brooklyn Center man was caught trafficking over $1 million worth of marijuana packaged as produce in a warehouse in Minneapolis. 11 states are least likely to legalize pot, including Kansas, Oklahoma, and Idaho.
A 26-year old man named Steven Lee Yang from Brooklyn Center was caught and arrested for trafficking $1M worth of marijuana in Minneapolis. MPR News reported that Yang was charged with first-degree sale and first-degree possession of marijuana. Police stormed a grocery distribution center on January 1 after receiving a tip from employees of marijuana hidden in produce shipments.
Mike Freeman, Hennepin County attorney, said that the marijuana packs were hidden under lettuce and cucumbers at the bottom of containers. "There were sealed packets of marijuana, a lot of it, and it was ready to hit the street," said Freeman.
Police arrested Yang after finding out that the shipments were addressed to him. Each packet contained one pound of high-grade marijuana. There were 260 packets in all which weighed 117 kilos (258 pounds) altogether, reported FOX 9 News.
Freeman said that Yang is not smoking the marijuana himself but will be selling it to people for money. "This is a lot of stuff that is going to mess up a lot of people," he added. Freeman also stated that the marijuana Yang possessed was 'really strong'.
Authorities estimate the street value of the confiscated marijuana at around $910,000 to $1.5 million. Yang will face 30 years of imprisonment and million dollar fines as penalty for marijuana possession and trafficking.
While marijuana has been legalized in 23 states in the US for medical and recreational usage, it is unlikely to be legal in 11 states. USAToday reported that 24/7 Wall St. named 11 states that are least likely to legalize marijuana. These states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming. In these places, possession of marijuana is considered a felony under certain instances.
Mason Tvert, Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) director of communications, said that many factors affect marijuana usage in these states. Aside from state laws prohibiting marijuana, cultural factors like religion and history can also explain why there is a low rate of pot usage in these lands.
