(Representative image)

DINDIGUL: A team of more than 50 officials of the Narcotic Intelligence Bureau - Criminal Investigation Division (NIB-CID) recently conducted a four-day combing operation in the Kodikanal hills to crack down on the production and supply of 'magic' mushrooms, which are wild mushrooms with hallucinogenic effects. But the operation, which ended on Sunday, turned dud as the officials had undertaken it during off-season.

With the mercury rising across the state, the officials had assumed that more tourists would flock to the hills and that this would be a an opportune moment to crack down on the producers of the drug as Kodaikanal had gained notoriety for its supply of the same.

A team of 15 inspectors, 30 sub-inspectors led by six deputy superintendents of police from NIB-CID units across the state took part in the exercise to deter the collection and sales of shrooms, as they are otherwise called. ADPS Srinivasaperumal led the search operation based on instructions from seniors.

An NIB-CID official said mushrooms were not banned in India under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. However, the chemical psilocin, which is Schedule I drug under the convention on psychotropic substances, is banned.

Psilocybin mushrooms, which contain trace amounts of psilocin, are widely used as recreational drugs, the side effects of which include euphoria and hallucination. These mushrooms grow up to 1.5 inches to 2 inches in height and a dozen is sold for up to 2,000. The team, however, learned the hard way that these fungi are found aplenty after a fortnight of rain in the grasslands around Mannavanur village, around 33km from Kodaikanal town.

Some are lured into collecting these fungi but it is a very risky and arduous task, villagers said. "It is risky as there are chances of being attacked by pests like wild boar when we venture into secluded areas. It is not easy to find (these mushrooms) and at times we return empty-handed after a day-long search," said a villager from Mannavanur.

Though tourists scour the area with the help of guides and drivers to collect the mushrooms, they act innocent when questioned, an inspector from the NIB-CID wing said.

"We even approached people when pretending to be tourists by reaching the spot in a Kerala registered vehicle. We also spoke in Malayalam, but did not get to see (how the operation works)," the officer said.

Officials said similar searches would be conducted frequently in the future and strict action, including detention under the Goondas Act, would be taken.

