Legal proceedings have been completed against a Russian man who was found unlawfully growing cannabis plants in his rented residence in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam, in late 2021, local procurators reported.

Shedko Dmitrii, 34, of Russian nationality, was indicted on charges of ‘possession of illegal narcotics’ as per Article 249 under the Vietnamese Penal Code, the provincial People’s Procuracy said on Wednesday.

The foreign man was arrested on December 24, 2021 when local police caught him growing 27 cannabis plants and storing about three kilograms of dried cannabis in a rented apartment in Ham Tien Ward of the province’s Phan Thiet City.

The plants were found in his bedroom, where the watering, lighting, and air-conditioning systems were installed to serve the cannabis cultivation, according to Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborer) newspaper.

Police seized from the man all equipment and tools used to grow, harvest, and process cannabis. 

Dmitrii told investigators that he took a tour to Mui Ne in Phan Thiet in November 2019 and had since rented the apartment in Ham Tien Ward to stay.

He also confessed he had experience in cannabis cultivation and processing.  

In August 2020, Dmitrii bought cannabis seeds and tools from social media accounts and started growing the plants at his rented accommodation.

The man initially planted about 20 saplings and after harvesting and processing them, he partly kept the finished cannabis products for his own use and shared the remainder with other foreigners living in Phan Thiet.

Police raided his residence when he was taking care of his next batch of 27 plants, up to 1.4 meters tall. 

During the investigation process, the Russian citizen had an interpreter, consular support, and other legitimate rights as prescribed by Vietnamese law.

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