Trio from Kerala among four arrested in Kodai for illegal sale of magic mushroom

MADURAI: Four men, including three from Kerala, were arrested in Kodaikanal for possessing 200 grams of magic mushrooms, a kind of intoxicant, on Tuesday night.

Acting on a tip-off, a team led by Kodaikanal sub-inspector of police Krishnakumar conducted a raid near Poomparai Kaikatty, where the four men were found in possession of the intoxicants for illegal sale.

Further, the SP said it was a commercial quantity as per the NDPS Act. These magic mushrooms contained chemical contents such as psilocybin, and psilocin (alkaloids). This type of mushroom, which belongs to the category of banned drugs under the NDPS Act.

“When these mushrooms were sent to Chennai (RFSL) department and chemically analysed, they were found to be containing banned drugs,” SP Baskaran said.

Further investigations revealed that these individuals did not grow or cultivate the magic mushrooms. They naturally grow in Kodaikanal forest areas such as Mannavanur, Poondi, Kilavarai, Vattakanal, and Poomparai.

Some of them from Melmalai village while grazing goats and cattle in the forest areas for collection of firewood tend to bring out these mushrooms and sell them to tourists from Kerala and other states. This kind of mushroom is sold at Rs 500 to Rs1,000.

Over the last two years, eight cases have been registered and 26 persons arrested by the Kodaikanal police. Moreover, one of the offenders, Sathish alias Nagaraj alias Bhans, has been detained under Goondas Act, the SP said.

The accused in the present case have been identified as U Vishnu (30), P Prasath (37) and S Mohamed Afsal (26), all hailing from Thrissur, and D Chandra Mohan (57) of Praba Nagar, Poomparai, Kodaikanal and booked under Sections 8(C) r/w 22© 29 (i) of the NDPS Act and sent to judicial custody.