It may be a legal product in the proper quantities in some states, but a shipment of high grade marijuana from California, which was discovered in Maryland has landed 28-year-old Harold Morris and his girlfriend, 26-year-old Sherrie Miller, in some big trouble.
"We believe the majority of it was sent via parcel---either through Fed Ex carriers or U.S. Mail," said Captain Lee Dunbar of the Harford County Task Force of the 249 pounds of marijuana seized from a storage facility on Pulaski Highway in Joppa, Maryland.
He places the street value at a million dollars, but because of its high quality, it could be three times that much.
"On the low end, we believe that the organization was selling them, putting them out on the street at close to $3,000 per pound and then selling them for approximately $350 an ounce," said Dunbar.
Agents also seized $185,000 in cash, and at the couple's home, tucked back in the woods off of Mountain Road, they confiscated a wealth of high-ticket items they believe were purchased with drug money.
"A Mercedes Benz C300, a Jaguar XF sedan, a Toyota Highlander," said Dunbar, “Also seized were a BMW motorcycle, several flat screen televisions, high value jewelry and watches, two Honda personal watercraft and two large ATVs along with a dirt bike."
It appears to have been a luxurious lifestyle fueled by selling marijuana, in spite of the couple's outward appearances.
"This gentleman, I believe at one point and time, was receiving money for unemployment so you can see how, a lot of times, they will work the system," said Dunbar.
Both of the suspects were released on $50,000 bond, and police say if and when they're convicted, they can expect diminishing sentences, since laws to legalize or to decriminalize marijuana have left judges and lawmakers backing off on imposing tougher penalties.
