Officers from Cambridgeshire Police seized over £5,000 worth of drugs from what is believed to be the first ever magic mushroom factory in the UK in over 20 years. The covert drug lab was raided in Huntingdon in the morning of 9 March under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, a first for the country since 1998.
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Mushrooms, cannabis and drug paraphernalia seized
Photographs posted on the Policing Huntingdonshire official Facebook page, shows 11 silver foil trays containing Class A Fungi. Cannabis was also found in the premises as well as various drug paraphernalia and cash.
The couple involved, a 26-year old man and a 24-year old woman—both unnamed,—were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs, production of cannabis, producing a controlled drug, money laundering and possession of drugs.
Since, they have been bailed until 6 April. PC Tom Russell from the Huntingdon Neighbourhood Policing Team said they were able to catch the criminals thanks to a tip off provided a member of the public:
The public are often our eyes and ears and it's vital they continue to report information and concerns to us. Officers will continue to make Huntingdon a Hostile place for drug supply.
Richard Wilson, was the last person in the UK to get busted for illegally growing magic mushrooms in 1998 when police raided the Hertfordshire native's sophisticated factory located inside an industrial unit.
Could magic mushrooms be the answer to mental illnesses?
Although the criminalization of hallucinogenic mushrooms has been in effect in the UK since 2005, scientists have been studying the effects of these drugs on patients suffering from various illnesses.
In particular, extensive research has been carried out looking into the medicinal benefits of magic mushrooms on depression, anxiety and even PTSD.