Police in Battambang have released a man who grew more than 200 marijuana plants in the jungle for “personal use” after he promised not to do it again.

Suspect Ren Sara, 36, was arrested on Sunday after patrolling officers found him among his secret plantation, next to a small stream in Thma Koul district’s Tameun commune.

A search of Sara’s house in nearby Thmey village then uncovered an additional 2 kilograms of dried marijuana, according to Tameun commune police chief Yeun Bunruen, who said authorities had ripped out and destroyed 236 plants from Sara’s hidden field.

Although initially sent to Thma Koul district police station for questioning, deputy district police chief Heang Buntha yesterday said Rara was released on compassionate grounds after he thumb-printed an assurance that he would not re-offend.

“[The suspect] is from a poor family and he grew the plants to use himself and to help treat someone in his family,” Buntha said.

“He did not grow the plants for sale, so we have just educated him and released him.”