Israeli Cops Come For A Cannabis Bust And Stay For The World Cup Final, Who Wouldn't?

According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli police arrived at an apartment building in the coastal town of Rishon Lezion on Sunday evening after someone called to report a strong smell of gas coming from the building. 

Once they arrived, police found hundreds of cannabis seedlings being grown in an illegal hydroponics operation inside one of the apartments. They also discovered cannabis cultivation equipment. 

After packing the plants into bags and collecting the rest of the evidence, the police officers decided to stay and watch the final game of the World Cup between Argentina and France. 

“After we finished collecting the marijuana, we sat down to watch the end of the game,” one of the officers said, according to local media. “We were very excited that we didn't miss the most important moments—it doesn't happen every day. It was an experience. We found the hydro lab and also got to see the final.”

Who Wouldn't Do The Same?

Argentina defeated France on penalty kicks as the teams were tied 3-3 at the end of extra time. It's no wonder the Israeli police officers stayed to watch the nail-biting final World Cup match.

Cannabis In Israel

Medical cannabis has been legal in Israel for a long time and was partially decriminalized in 2019 for recreational use, but there are limits. Generally, those caught with small amounts of cannabis use for personal use without medical authorization are subject to fines rather than criminal proceedings.

Earlier this year, the AP reported that former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert is among those pushing for cannabis legalization.