Brooklyn business owners appeared before a judge today after 100 pounds of what they say are legal plants were seized by police under the suspicion they were marijuana.
The business owners maintained that the confiscated shipment was legal hemp, saying that it has caused incredible stress both personally and professionally.
Earlier this month, officers in the 75th Precinct stopped a FedEx truck filled with the plants confiscated with what they say was 106 pounds of marijuana. These were headed to Ronen Levy's CBD business Green Angel CBD in East New York where they sell CBD oil, vapes and flowers.
John Dee, Levy’s brother and part owner, says he ordered the shipment from a licensed farm in Vermont, and says the shipment came with paperwork proving that the plants were completely legal.
However, despite the documents, Levy was arrested and charged with operating as a major trafficker, criminal possession and criminal sale of marijuana. After today’s hearing, Levy told News 12 the mix-up has been a stressful ordeal.
“I’m a little nervous. I've been nervous since the situation started. I'm very confident that my lawyer is going to take care of this for us and hopefully by Dec. 2 it will be dropped. I really haven't been sleeping too well, a lot of thoughts going through my mind racing at night,” says Levy.
The next court appearance was adjourned until Dec. 2, but the two are hopeful the charges will be dropped before then.