An American man has been arrested in Thailand after police raided his back garden where they allegedly found 29 cannabis plants.
Roger Anthony Ester, 59, had been living with his male partner Chakrit Aiamkajohn, 40, in Chiang Mai where they allegedly grew the drug.
Officers stopped Chakrit during a traffic patrol and found 32 bottles of distilled Cannabis oil last Thursday (September 12) afternoon.
The police then visited the couple's home last Friday afternoon and found Roger there along with a cannabis farm in the garden.
Police seized 29 Cannabis trees, a Kratom tree hidden in the wood and several packages of dried Cannabis in two iceboxes.
The couple were arrested by the police and taken to the station for interrogations.
Chakrit told police that he grows cannabis so that it can be distilled and sold for medicinal purposes.
He said: "I started to study Cannabis after I graduated with a master degree because I had tried it and really loved it.
"I distilled the Cannabis into an oil and donated them to the patients in need.
"I learned about the procedure from travelling to many countries where it is legal.
"Actually, I have a schedule to go to Canada for this purpose, but unfortunately I was arrested."
Police Colonel Weerachai has charged Chakrit and will interrogate the couple for more information.
He said: "Initially, we have charged Chakrit with illegal drug possession.
"We are interrogating both the suspects further before proceeding with more charges. Hopefully, the information they have could help us make a further arrest of their clients."
