Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: A Kerala native residing in south Goa’s Khotigao village was arrested after being caught allegedly in possession of dried “magic mushrooms”, suspected to contain the banned substance psilocybin, police said on Wednesday.
The arrest followed a late-night raid conducted by Canacona police between 9.30 pm and 11.30 pm on April 14 at IDC Shristhal.
The accused has been identified as Rojin Philip Mathews, a resident of Ponsulem in Canacona and a native of Kerala. Police said he was found in possession of 16.6 grams of dried mushrooms suspected to be psilocybin-based narcotics. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth around ₹41,500.
Mathews has been booked under Section 22(b) of the NDPS Act. Police Sub-Inspector Ramdas Doifode of Canacona Police Station is leading the investigation.
Investigators said Mathews is also a director of a company, Shroomerium Mycolabs Pvt Ltd, which supplies mushroom by-products, including oils, in the Canacona region. Authorities are now examining whether the firm’s operations were being misused in connection with narcotics activity.
Further probe is underway.
