Police apprehended a 27 year old man in the Bang Chan Subdistrict, Khlong Sam Wa District, Bangkok, on charges of illegal possession and attempted distribution of psilocybin mushrooms, a Category 5 narcotic. Police seized 11 items as evidence.
The arrest followed a tip-off from an informant who reported that Chitsanupong was cultivating and selling psilocybin mushrooms online and delivering them via private courier services. The officers informed Theeradej Thammasuthee, the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Chief Investigator, to proceed with the investigation and arrest.
Police conducted a sting operation by purchasing 2 grammes of psilocybin mushrooms through the LINE application under the seller name Mushrooms Research for 350 baht (US$10). An additional order for 2 grammes was placed for another 350 baht, with the seller including an extra gramme for free, totalling 5 grammes.
The payment was transferred to a Thai bank account in the name of Chitsanupong. Upon successful transfer, the seller confirmed that the package would be sent after 6pm.
Police observed the vicinity of private courier services near Phraya Suren Road and at a pharmacy and courier service in the Sretthee Songchai Market on Phraya Suren Road, Bang Chan Subdistrict. Around 7.55pm, they spotted a young man matching Chitsanupong’s description carrying a package into the 109 Pharmacy and courier service in the Sretthee Songchai Market. Suspecting the package contained psilocybin mushrooms, officers requested to search it.
The search revealed 5 grammes of dried psilocybin mushrooms. Chitsanupong admitted ownership of the mushrooms. He was informed of his arrest and the charges of illegal possession and attempted distribution of a Category 5 narcotic. After being read his rights, Chitsanupong disclosed that more mushrooms were stored and being cultivated at his residence on Soi Phraya Suren 28, Bang Chan Subdistrict.
Illegal mushrooms
Chitsanupong voluntarily led the police to his home at 60/235 Thahan Kong Noon Village on Soi Phraya Suren 28. The search at his residence uncovered a substantial amount of stored and growing psilocybin mushrooms, along with cultivation equipment. All items were confiscated and handed over to investigators at Bang Chan Police Station for legal proceedings.
Chitsanupong admitted that he was currently unemployed and held a bachelor’s degree in IT. He had initially turned to psilocybin mushrooms to enhance his creativity for computer programming tasks. He learned about the mushrooms through YouTube and foreign websites, aiming to stimulate his brain for creative thinking.
He later began cultivating the mushrooms himself, starting with spore cultivation at his home, a process that took about 15 days. Once the mushrooms matured, he dried them and vacuum-sealed them for easier storage and sale, pricing them at 100 baht (US$3) per gramme.
His monthly earnings from selling the mushrooms amounted to around 100,000 baht (US$2,750). With high demand, the confiscated items were valued at approximately 1 million baht (US$27,500). Chitsanupong claimed he only sold to individuals aged 20 years and older, reported Sanook.
Chitsanupong stated that he would cease such activities and instead use his knowledge to cultivate edible mushrooms. The arrest took place at the Sretthee Songchai Market and the suspect was processed at Bang Chan Police Station.
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