IG: No evidence proving tip Richmond workers were buying ‘baggies full of fresh weed’
Richmond’s inspector general recently looked into an anonymous tip that city workers were buying “huge zip-lock freezer baggies full of fresh weed” during work hours from a “hemp food truck” parked on Mayo Island.
After conducting on-foot surveillance, getting Richmond police involved and reviewing GPS tracking data for city vehicles, the inspector general’s office ruled the allegation “unsubstantiated,” according to a recently published report.
That means investigators found no evidence proving it was true, but could make no definitive conclusion it was false.
“Based on the information reviewed and the surveillance conducted, the OIG did not identify evidence to support the allegation that COR employees were using City-owned vehicles to purchase or possess illegal narcotics,” reads a June 9 report from the office of Inspector General Foster Curtiss.
Mark Newton
The complaint alleged Richmond workers were making purchases from the truck “throughout the day” in official city vehicles.
The inspector general’s office did find a blue box truck advertising “Holistic Remedies, Cannabis Education, Smoke Accessories and More…” at the specified parking lot in the middle of the Mayo Bridge. However, no city vehicles were seen pulling up to the truck while it was under surveillance by the inspector general’s office and the police.
“No suspicious activity was observed, nor was any conduct witnessed that indicated COR-owned vehicles or COR employees were purchasing any items from that Location,” the inspector general’s report says.
Molly Manning
The review of GPS tracking data showed several city vehicles crossed the bridge between April 15 and May 19. But the data indicated none of them stopped at the hemp truck.
“The OIG will continue to monitor relevant complaints and will coordinate with partner agencies as necessary should new information arise,” Curtiss wrote in his report.
Contact Reporter Graham Moomaw at gmoomaw@richmonder.org
