Tyrolean man in court

50 kilos of cannabis in the attic: Prison sentence

The defendant planted the cannabis plants (symbolic image) in the forest.

(Bild: Cannabis)

The strong smell and a subsequent house search led to the discovery of a record-breaking cannabis stash. Now a Tyrolean man (54) has been sentenced, his excuses met with little credibility in court.

The 54-year-old explained to the provincial court how the large quantities of cannabis, the flowers of which he dried in his attic, came about: "I have consumed a lot in recent years, which is why I wanted to grow it myself to save money," he said laconically. He had bought seeds in Vienna and planted them in a forest clearing near his Tyrolean home, he reported. Then he "harvested them and dried everything.

I wanted to smoke it all myself.

Der Angeklagte beim Prozess

The neighbor's nose was disastrous
The joy of the "green thumb" didn't last long: a neighbor complained about the smell coming from the attic and filed a complaint. A house search followed and the man has been in custody ever since. He now confessed to the cultivation, but stated: "I wanted to smoke it all myself." There was talk of two kilos a year. He simply wanted to "freeze" the rest of the very large quantity. "It was never planned to pass it on," he stated.

The public prosecutor did not believe the latter claim: "You can't smoke such a large quantity yourself and too much of the active ingredient is lost during freezing," he said expertly in his closing statement.

The man had to appear in court from custody (symbolic image).

(Bild: APA/FOTOKERSCHI.AT/ANTONIO BAYER)

Court also assumed transfer
The panel of lay judges also agreed with this assessment. "You may not have had a business in mind, but probably wanted to pass on a small amount - as a gift, for example - to friends," argued the judge. At the same time, he noted that a lower THC content than charged had been assumed in favor of the defendant.

With such a large quantity, it could not go off without prison: The man must serve six months of the 24-month sentence imposed. He will also have to pay the legal costs totaling 400 euros. The sentence is already final.