Man Must Pay Over 82,000 Euros for Tampering With Power Meter for Marijuana Plantation

A German man has been ordered to pay more than 82,000 euros to an electricity supplier for tampering with a power meter to support a large-scale marijuana cultivation operation. The decision was made by the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt following an appeal process.

The individual rented a house in Wetzlar and used it to grow marijuana between the summer of 2019 and the summer of 2021. During this period, he deliberately manipulated the electricity meter. The court stated that he had "torn open the seals of the meter and blocked the turntable of the meter." The house was equipped with numerous lamps, fans, and electric heaters, collectively drawing a significant power load of 28,900 watts.

The electricity provider estimated the total electricity consumption for the two years to be approximately 320,000 kilowatt-hours. The man was arrested in June 2021 in connection with the marijuana cultivation. The Limburg Regional Court had previously sentenced him to a total prison term of three years and four months for the offense.

This latest ruling from the Higher Regional Court mandates the significant financial penalty to compensate the energy provider for the stolen electricity and gas. The man still has the option to file a non-admission appeal to pursue a revision of the case before the Federal Court of Justice.