Toke of the Town

‘Square Grouper’ Film Looks At 1970s Pot Smuggler Culture

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By on Culture, Products


Square Grouper was the nickname given to bales of marijuana thrown overboard or out of airplanes during the halcyon smuggling days of the 1970s and 80s in South Florida.

It’s also the name of a new documentary from filmmaker Billy Corben and rakontur, the creators of Cocaine Cowboys and The U.

“This movie is based in part on my book,” Robert Platshorn, America’s longest-serving pot prisoner and author of Black Tuna Diaries, told Toke of the Town Sunday.


Photo: Robert Platshorn
Robert Platshorn, one of the subjects of the upcoming documentary “Square Groupers,” became the longest-serving U.S. pot prisoner when he did 29 years on federal charges.

​”I’m in it and it tells the story of how good Colombian weed started the current pot revolution,” Platshorn told us.
“It took a small army of gutsy South Florida smugglers to start today’s marijuana revolution,” Platshorn said. “We paid the price, but our Colombian Gold started the wave for medical marijuana and now legalization.”
“Square Grouper tells the story in our own words,” Platshorn said.
Platshorn became the longest-serving pot prisoner in U.S. history, being sentenced to 64 years in federal prison and actually serving 29 years before finally being paroled in 2008.

Square Groupers, the much-anticipated documentary movie, will be released this fall. Watch right here on Toke of the Town for the full trailer, coming out any day now!

The movie covers the smuggling adventures of the Black Tunas, the Coptics and the Everglades City crew.

Also be on the lookout for another exclusive interview with Platshorn once the movie is released.

Photo: George Ginsberg
Independence Day 2010 revelers at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, found this square grouper among the seashells last month.

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