Police officers in Florida were busy over the weekend cleaning up a different kind of seaweed that washed ashore one of its beaches.
Authorities said a "large quantity" of loose, unpacked marijuana washed up on the sands of Neptune Beach Saturday morning, about 17 miles east of Jacksonville.
Neptune Beach Police Department
While officers on scene worked with public works crews to clean the pot off the beach, they urged residents and tourists to avoid the area and not get any clever ideas.
"Before anyone starts thinking about coming out and turning this discovery into your own treasure hunt, we would advise against it," the Neptune Beach Police Department said in a statement. "After floating in the ocean for some time, the marijuana has quickly begun to degrade and rot."
Police believe the weed was likely being transported by sea when it somehow broke open and separated.
"It's crazy," one person told News4JAX. "I'm surprised there wasn't a bunch of hippies on the beach."
Under current Florida law, it is illegal to grow or possess cannabis without a medical marijuana card.
