Crime-related documents website The Smoking Gun reported yesterday that three parcels, containing 11 pounds of pot, were intercepted on their way to publishing house St Martin's Press, a subsidiary of Macmillan.
According to documents obtained by the website, on March 5th, an employee in the Grantville Post Office in San Diego, CA reported that the parcels "emanated a suspcious odor." The senders were listed as "ABT Books", "KBS Elect Books", and "MJ Customz", all apparently fictional names, while the addressee for all three packages was "Karen Wright" at St Martin's Press, based in the Flatiron building in New York City.
Calls from industry website Galleycat to St Martin's Press switchboard ascertained that nobody of that name works for the company.
The documents report that sniffer dog called "Jake" confirmed the presence of the pot, following which inspectors opened the parcels on March 16th to find styrofoam, paper towels and dryer sheets, "often used by traffickers in an effort to mask pot odor" according to The Smoking Gun, along with the marijuana, which was wrapped in plastic.
The pot apparently had a street value approaching $70,000. It's unclear who was expected to receive the shipment.
Recently published titles from St Martin's Press include "A Magnificent Obsession", "The Forever Fix", "Mob Daughter", and "P.O. Box Love". But we're sure that's just a coincidence.