Po-po in Chicago say the boxes are intended for departing passengers wishing to dispose of their cannabis products before boarding their flights at Midway or O’Hare.
The boxes were installed weeks ago to coincide with the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state.
Po-po reportedly noticed the marijuana missing from an amnesty box during a check last week.
They say after reviewing surveillance footage, a man believed to be an incoming passenger reached inside and pulled the marijuana out.
The weed was left behind by a separate passenger, who placed it in the amnesty box after being found with it during a security check.
Fox News reports that the amnesty boxes themselves were installed to coincide with the Jan. 1 legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois.
Upon their debut, it was explained that the Chicago Department of Aviation and the Chicago police would be responsible for overseeing, emptying and disposing of materials found within the boxes.
The TSA also made clear that authorities are not targeting passengers carrying marijuana – it is legal to have in the state’s airports – but it is still illegal to fly with any drug, as airspace is regulated by the federal government and the drug is still illegal under federal law.
A spokesman for the TSA says they do not actively search for “marijuana or cannabis-infused products” at security checkpoints across the nation’s airports, but the agents are “obligated to report the discovery of any drugs or substances that are illegal under federal law.” Local police then determine what further action to take, if any.
The two Chicago airports are not the first to install cannabis disposal boxes, as both McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and Colorado Springs Airport in Colorado have also installed amnesty boxes for passengers who need to surrender their marijuana before flights.