A man tried to take 11 pounds of marijuana that washed up on a Flagler County beach, but didn't report it to law enforcement officials, Flagler County sheriff's deputies said.
"This guy tried to take advantage of a situation and it completely backfired on him," said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.
According to deputies, witnesses saw Robert Kelley pick up the soaked packages Thursday morning as they washed up on the shore near Jungle Hut Park in Palm Coast.
The person who called 911 told dispatchers Kelley and others were trying to open and take the bags.
Deputies said when they got to the scene, Kelley did not attempt to tell them he found the drugs. When deputies asked him about it, he pointed at his car and said he was holding it for them, investigators said.
When asked why he didn’t call deputies, Kelley said he didn’t alert the Sheriff’s Office because he wasn’t sure if they would come, deputies said.
Deputies said they found a “brick” of marijuana wrapped in plastic in Kelley’s trunk, totaling 11 pounds of marijuana.
Kelley tried to conceal the package by wrapping it in a brown beach towel, deputies said.
Kelley was arrested on possession of marijuana and was held on $2,500 bond.
This was not the first time this week that packages of marijuana washed up on Florida's shores. Flagler County deputies said a total of 100 pounds of marijuana turned up on the beach in just two days. In Volusia County, deputies said 23 bales of marijuana washed up on the beach Wednesday in Ormond-by-the-Sea.
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