House arrest rejected

German remains in custody over THC gummy bears

These cannabis-infused gummy bears had been found in the luggage of a German.(Bild: Telegram/customs_rf)

A German man arrested in Russia in mid-February on charges of importing cannabis-laced gummy bears - as reported by krone.at - must remain in prison. On Tuesday, a Russian court extended the 38-year-old's pre-trial detention until April 15.

At a court hearing in St. Petersburg, the man had requested that his detention be replaced by house arrest and had agreed to surrender his passport. However, the applications were rejected by the court.

Arrested at St. Petersburg airport 
The man was arrested on February 14 upon arrival from Istanbul at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport. According to the customs authorities, gummy sweets containing cannabis were found when his luggage was checked.

Criminalproceedings for drug smuggling
The German is said to have stated that he had already used such gummy bears several times on longer flights for a restful sleep. Criminal proceedings were initiated against him for drug smuggling. He faces a prison sentence of up to seven years.

The case is reminiscent of the arrest of US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was arrested at Moscow airport in 2022 for carrying a small amount of hashish oil. The star player, who also played for the Russian Superleague club Ekaterinburg, was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug possession. In 2023, she was exchanged for a Russian arms dealer imprisoned in the USA.