Ganja and magic mushrooms seized

PATONG: Four men were arrested on Monday in two separate drug raids along the Patong-Karon road that netted quantities of marijuana and “magic” psilocybin mushrooms allegedly packaged for re-sale. In the first raid, Pol Capt Sophon Borirak led Kathu Police officers to the Rasta Bar just south of Patong and arrested three Thais and a German at about 8:30 pm. They seized 34 five-gram packages of marijuana wrapped in plastic with an estimated total street value of 17,000 baht. Rasta Bar manager Surapol Meesee, 36, and Patchpong Suwanchana, 28, were charged with possession and intent to sell. The 42-year-old German was charged with consumption of a Category 5 substance and now faces deportation. The second raid took place less than an hour later, just up the road at an unnumbered house near the tourist elephant camp. There, police found nearly two kilograms of dried “magic mushrooms” packed in 14 glass coffee jars and four bags. Police arrested 43-year-old Thanin Sukasame, who admitted to possession of the mushrooms – known in Thai as hed kee kwaay since they are generally found growing on buffalo excrement. He said that he had collected them from the forest nearby, where they grew on the plentiful supplies of elephant dung. Police said K. Thanin confessed that he had planned to sell them on Koh Samui. Under the Narcotics Act 1979, both marijuana and magic mushrooms are listed as Category 5 narcotics. A conviction for consumption carries a maximum penalty of one year’s imprisonment and a fine not exceeding 10,000 baht. Sentences for possession with intent to distribute are far more severe: two to 15 years in prison and a fine ranging from 20,000 to 150,000 baht. Capt Sophon told the Gazette, “These [psilocybin] mushrooms have been popular on Koh Samui for more than 10 years, but this is the first time we’ve seen them in Phuket. The Kathu Police will continue its War Against Drugs to rid Patong of all illegal drugs.”