Munich customs settled on a decision cannabis enthusiasts would have chosen after happening upon an inordinately large amount of quality marijuana last year—they burned it.
That’s right. Munich authorities burned 550 kilograms of loose marijuana in a waste incineration plant this week. According to The Local, 550 kilograms is enough cannabis for about 3.8 million joints.
“For us it’s just garbage that needs to be destroyed,” customs spokesman Christian Schüttenkopf told Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ).
The drugs were discovered a year ago when a truck was crossing the border from Serbia. Unsurprisingly the driver remains in custody, but authorities had to wait for the cannabis to dry in their laboratories, so they could measure its weight properly. The marijuana had remained in their labs since June, and was burned, in part, because it was taking up too much room.
In addition, customs officials were unaware of the origins of the marijuana so they could not authorize its usage for medicinal purposes. To be used for medical purposes, “almost every stem must be registered,” said Schüttenkopf.
So instead they burned it to help provide heat and electricity to locals within the region. The bags were thrown in degrees between 900 and 1000 degrees Celsius, destroying any and all organic compounds. In short, residents did not smell any marijuana odor nor did they receive a contact high.
“The material is used to generate district heating and electricity for the people of the region,” said the plant manager. “It’s a benefit for the general public, so to speak.”
