Bar owner in Thailand in hot water for selling magic mushroom drinks
Drinks sold during New Year celebrations also contained laughing gas
Authorities in Thailand raided a bar for allegedly selling a concoction blended with hallucinogenic mushrooms, as well as nitrous oxide — commonly known as laughing gas — to New Year revellers.
The raid took place at Bello Bar on Rin Beach on Koh Phangan in the southern province after authorities were tipped off that the bar was selling fruit smoothies mixed with psilocybin mushrooms to both Thai and foreign tourists welcoming in the New Year on the beach.
Psilocybin mushrooms — also known as magic mushrooms — are categorised as a Type 5 narcotic under Thai drug laws and are used mainly as a recreational drug.
The raid was carried out jointly by soldiers from the Fourth Army, Koh Phangan police and Surat Thani local government officials.
Authorities also seized three 20kg cylinders containing laughing gas, about 3,000 balloons as well as more than 1.5 million baht in cash.
Selling nitrous oxide without authorisation is illegal. They also confiscated bottles of liquor to examine whether the spirits were properly taxed.