Did Teenagers "Donate" a Bag of Drugs to Charity? New Zealand Teens Arrested After Returning for Marijuana-Laden Bag

Left Bag Behind While Waiting for Car Repairs
Returned to Retrieve It, Only to Be Arrested by Police

It was belatedly revealed that teenagers in New Zealand were arrested by police after accidentally leaving a bag containing marijuana at a charity shop donation drop-off.

According to AP and other sources on March 10 (local time), the incident occurred on February 18 near a charity shop in the Southland region of New Zealand's South Island. The police did not disclose the exact location of the store in order to protect the staff.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Pixabay.

At the time, a store employee noticed a strong odor coming from a donated bag while checking donation items and decided to look inside. The bag contained 43.2 grams of marijuana in a plastic bag and about 3,700 New Zealand dollars (approximately 3.23 million won) in cash. In New Zealand, the use and sale of marijuana are illegal, with only limited medical use allowed by prescription from a doctor.

It was determined that the bag in question had been left in the donation area outside the store by a teenage boy and girl who were waiting for their car to be serviced at a nearby auto repair shop. Realizing later that they had left the bag behind, the two returned to the shop in a state of panic. However, after being reported by the staff, they were arrested by the police who responded to the scene.

During a search of their vehicle, police also found an air pistol, a police radio receiver, and additional cash. In New Zealand, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess an air pistol without a license or to use one without adult supervision.

While possessing a police radio itself is not illegal, disseminating information heard through it or using it for criminal activities is punishable by law. Police did not disclose the specific charges brought against the teenagers or whether they would be required to appear in court.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.