A Massachusetts woman who opened a FedEx package expecting to find a birthday present she purchased for her 11-year-old daughter was in for a surprise of her own when she discovered that the box contained several vacuum-packed bags stuffed with seven pound of marijuana.

In a lawsuit filed against FedEx by Plymouth resident Maryangela Tobin, the plaintiff claims the marijuana was hidden among "assorted candles, candy, ribbons, markers, and crafts," and was itself concealed inside a bag of potpourri.

The police were called to the scene, and after determining that the box had in fact "contained narcotics," officers seized the evidence and phoned FedEx to alert them that the Tobins "could be at risk."

But Tobin claims FedEx ignored the warning, and sent the intended recipient to retrieve his package from her house.

Per the lawsuit, a man arrived at Tobin's residence inside a black sports car along with two other males, and proceed to inquire about the package.

After informing the man that his parcel was in the hands of police, Tobin slammed and bolted her front door and phoned the police again.

An officer rang up FedEx to inform them that the recipient had shown up at the Tobin household and was told that an employee "had in fact disclosed to someone else information about the package."

Police apprehended the three suspected smugglers several days later, but Tobin says she remains fearful for her family's safety, saying her daughters are "now too scared to be alone in their own home for any appreciable period of time."

The incident was obviously traumatizing for the woman and her children, but this passage from the lawsuit is gold:

Maryangela realized something was wrong and asked Lily to go upstairs to her room. But Lily sensed Maryangela's distress, and would not leave her side. Lily asked what was wrong with her present. Maryangela explained to her that the package contained an illegal substance, at which point Lily began to cry. Lily, breathing the strong aroma, worried she now had 'drugs in her.'

[photo via AP]