New Zealand Teens Accidentally Donate Bag of Marijuana and Cash to Charity Shop

Two teenagers in New Zealand mistakenly left a backpack filled with marijuana and thousands of dollars at a charity donation site. When they returned in a panic to retrieve it, a volunteer had already discovered the illegal contents and called police.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A pair of teenagers in New Zealand found themselves in serious trouble after accidentally leaving behind a backpack stuffed with marijuana and thousands of dollars at a charity shop’s donation site, authorities announced Monday.

The incident unfolded on February 18th in New Zealand’s Southland region when a charity shop volunteer detected a strong smell coming from a donated backpack. Inside, the volunteer discovered plastic bags holding 43.2 grams of marijuana along with 3,700 New Zealand dollars (equivalent to about $2,200 US) in cash, according to New Zealand Police.

The teenage boy and girl had placed the backpack at the donation site while waiting for their vehicle to be repaired at a nearby auto shop. When they realized their mistake and rushed back to retrieve the bag, police were already on their way.

Recreational marijuana use and sales remain illegal throughout New Zealand, though some medical applications are permitted with proper prescriptions from doctors.

During their investigation, officers also searched the teenagers’ vehicle and found additional concerning items: an unlicensed air pistol, a police scanner, and more cash. While owning a police scanner isn’t against the law in New Zealand, using information obtained from it for illegal purposes is prohibited. Additionally, anyone under 18 cannot legally possess an air pistol without proper licensing and adult supervision.

Police have not released specific details about what charges the arrested teenagers may face or whether they have appeared in court. New Zealand maintains strict reporting restrictions regarding Youth Court cases, which typically handle matters involving suspects under age 17.

To protect the charity shop staff, police declined to provide the exact location of the store beyond confirming it was in the Southland region of New Zealand’s South Island.