Three individuals have been arrested by the Guardia Civil, and five others are currently under investigation. They are accused of being affiliated with a company that advertised packages for a spiritual retreat in a chalet in the town of Pedreguer, Alicante, via the internet, with the intention of encouraging drug use.
Two searches were conducted on two properties in a rural area of the town of Pedreguer during the operation. During these searches, officers seized 11 litres of ayahuasca that had been prepared for consumption, 117 specimens of San Pedro cactus, several bottles of Kambó toad (Phyllomedusa bicolour) secretions, 7 kilogrammes of mimosa (Mimosa pudica), 368 kilogrammes of harmal (Peganum harmala) seeds, 945 Ritalin (methylphenidate) tablets, cash, and numerous documents.
The investigation commenced in March of last year following the receipt of a complaint from a victim. Consequently, officers identified an organisation that advertised itself as an internationally recognised spiritual retreat organisation and provided awards as a guarantee.
They also provided traditional healing medicine vacation packages that included ayahuasca, San Pedro cactus, and Kambó toad venom. They advertised their services extensively, which attracted clients from all over the world, primarily from European countries. The company described the experience as mystical and beneficial to health.
Holiday packages exceeding 1,000 euros
Accommodation, meals, substance use, and multiple days of stay were all included in the programmes. The average price per package exceeded one thousand euros, and costs were contingent upon the duration of the stay, which could vary from three to five days. The “astral journeys” were conducted with the assistance of six organisation personnel, and the retreats were conducted in groups of up to twenty participants.
Investigators have verified that several withdrawals were made on a weekly basis from a large number of individuals. They have estimated that the group generated several hundred thousand euros in the past year, primarily in cash, without declaring the income and averting any trace. This activity was conducted using a multitude of bank accounts that belonged to entities in a variety of countries.
The chalet that is utilised for spiritual retreats was the site of one of the assaults. Six members of the group simultaneously treated clients in the rooms designated for “astral travel,” where several dozen cots were set up. The group members prepared and administered the substances and accompanied the clients throughout the process, without any means to intervene in the event of intoxication. The retreat was occupied by 16 individuals at the time of the assault.
Concoctions are prepared in a homemade laboratory
They had established a rudimentary and unhygienic home laboratory in order to prepare the concoctions. In this laboratory, they manipulated the ingredients and prepared the substances that they administered to their clients.
Officers arrested three individuals, two of whom were male and the third, a 33-year-old woman, who were regarded as the group’s ringleaders and company administrators. These individuals were in charge of advertising the services, managing the finances, and preparing the substances for consumption. The organisation’s “spiritual guides,” who are alleged to be responsible for administering the substances and accompanying clients during drug use, have also been the subject of an investigation. These individuals consist of three men and two women.
Drug trafficking, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organisation are the charges against all of them. The official laboratories have received the detained substances for toxicity analysis.
Ayahuasca, San Pedro cactus, Kambó toad secretions, Harmala, and Mimosa
The secretions of the Kambó toad, Ayahuasca, the San Pedro cactus, Harmala, and Mimosa are naturally occurring substances that have extremely detrimental effects on humans. The individual’s metabolism and the quantity administered are among the factors that contribute to the difficulty of predicting these effects. This risk is exacerbated when toxic substances are administered by individuals who lack medical training and are handled at home.
The Calp ROCA Team, with the assistance of the Citizen Security Units of the Alicante Command, conducted the operation under the supervision of the Dénia Court of First Instance No. 1.
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