Hemp Truck Driver Pleads Not Guilty

Boise (670 KBOI News) – The truck driver arrested for hauling what state troopers say was marijuana, but he says was hemp, is scheduled to go on trial in October.

According to the Idaho Statesman, Denis Palamarchuk of Portland pleaded not guilty at his arraignment this afternoon. He was arrested in January at the east Boise Port of Entry, after troopers inspected the load he was hauling.

A sample of the material that was seized was sent to Kentucky for testing, but those test results have not been made public.

Transportation of hemp across state lines was part of the federal 2018 Farm Bill, but hemp is not legal in Idaho. House Bill 300 would have made transportation of hemp legal in Idaho, but it was rejected in the state Senate.

Palamarchuk’s trial is scheduled for three days, starting on October 2nd.