Despite recent push here in the U.S. to legalize it, using the marijuana plant as a recreational or even medicinal substance is still very much illegal around the world. One Volkswagen exec recently found that out the hard way when he was detained and later deported from China for failing a drug test, Reuters reports.
To be clear, there is no indication that Jochen Sengpiehl, Volkswagen’s chief marketing officer and head of product strategy in China, tried to bring any banned substances into the country. He didn’t accidentally leave a cartridge in his bag, nor did drug dogs find even a tiny crumble of flower in one of his pockets. He was simply drug tested at customs upon returning from a vacation in Koh Samui, Thailand, and failed.
The Reuters report didn’t specify which drugs he had in his system, but WardsAuto reports it was, in fact, weed and potentially cocaine, as well. Allegedly, China decided to administer the drug test after Thai authorities sent them a tip. Cocaine is still illegal in Thailand, while marijuana is decriminalized. Weed is also legal in Germany.
Unfortunately for Sengpiehl, China outlaws drug use in other countries, including weed. Authorities can hold someone found with even small amounts of illegal drugs in their system for up to 15 days, but Sengpiehl was deported after being held for 10 days. Reports vary on whether Volkswagen Group China and the German embassy secured his release, or if President Xi Jinping personally ordered his deportation.
It isn’t clear at this time how this news will impact Sengpiehl’s career at Volkswagen, with one unidentified spokesperson for the company telling WardsAuto, “Please understand that we cannot comment on this for reasons related to work and data protection regulations.”