A 38-year-old man in trouble with the law for growing weed in his front yard told the police that he thought they were bamboo plants.
Police arrested the man, nicknamed “Mat Tarzan,” during a raid of his house in Alor Setar, Kedah, where they found four pots of the marijuana plants. The man reportedly told police that he thought he had been growing bamboo plants and had no idea that they were cannabis.
The man then switched up his story after further interrogation and confessed to knowing what the plant species was all along, adding that he was growing them for his own use. The suspect, who has a previous record of drug use, also tested positive for marijuana.
Police are also trying to find out the source of his gardening hobby and where he got the seeds from.
Growing marijuana without permission from the Health Ministry is illegal in Malaysia. Permits are allowed for those who grow the plant for research, education, and medicinal purposes. Growing weed for recreational purposes comes with a maximum penalty of up to RM20,000 fine (US$4,700) and five years’ jail.
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