Montreal Police Raid Magic Mushroom Shop Within Hours of Opening

Psilocybin or "magic mushrooms" are seen in an undated photo provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Washington on. May 7, 2019. DEA/Handout via Reuters

Montreal police raided a shop selling illegal magic mushrooms and arrested several people on July 11, but the store says it intends to reopen.

“It was supposed to be reopened today, but we will reopen tomorrow,” FunGuyz spokesperson Edgras Goban told The Epoch Times on July 12, while criticizing the police for making the arrest.

FunGuyz’s first Quebec location opened in the city of Montreal on July 11, selling dried mushrooms, pills, and chocolate bars containing psilocybin, the substance that gives magic mushrooms their hallucinogenic properties.

Four hours after opening, Montreal police launched an operation against the store, arresting four people and confiscating the store’s merchandise.

Anik de Repentigny, a spokesperson for the Montreal City Police Service, confirmed to The Epoch Times that police officers intervened around 4 p.m. in the Ville-Marie borough where the shop is located, making four arrests.

“Three of the four people arrested Tuesday were released on a promise to appear in court. The fourth entered an appearance at the Montreal courthouse Wednesday afternoon. She faces one count of trafficking in substances,” Ms. De Repentigny said.

Magic mushrooms are classified as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, meaning their sale, distribution, and possession are illegal in Canada.

Police action against the stores hasn’t been consistent in Canada. In some jurisdictions, such as Winnipeg, local police have been quick to take action to close the shops, while in others, such as some Ontario municipalities, police have allowed the shops to continue operating.

Mr. Goban previously told The Epoch Times in June that out of the 10 dispensary locations across Ontario, the police had only taken enforcement action against one of its stores, located in Toronto. “The reason why [the police] say they’re coming in is because people complain, and when there’s a complaint they will have to come in and enforce it,” he said at the time.

In a statement, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s office said that despite the “administration’s strong stance in favour of decriminalizing the simple possession of drugs, and the adoption of a declaration to this effect by the entire city council,” the sale of psilocybin remains illegal, and the Montreal police will continue to enforce the law.

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked on May 24 about the variation in how the provinces have enforced magic mushroom laws, he said the Criminal Code is the same across the country but different provinces can have different approaches to issues.

“There is always going to be a certain amount of variety on many issues across the country, and that allows the provincial governments to respond to local priorities and local needs,” Mr. Trudeau said.