Spanish police said Monday that they had dismantled a group accused of running a “spiritual retreat” that offered hallucinogenic d.r.u.g.s and dangerous frog venom to clients from around the world.
Operating out of a villa in the village of Pedreguer in the southeast, the group is suspected of charging more than $1,160 for visits lasting several days, during which they consume ayahuasca, San Pedro cactus, and Kambo, a frog venom.
According to a statement from the Guardia Civil police force, “up to twenty people attended the retreats, and six personnel of the organization attended to them throughout the ‘astral excursions’.”
A huge room with multiple mattresses on the floor, water bottles, tissue boxes, and a guitar leaning against a wall was depicted in a force-released photo.
Police said the investigation began last March “after receiving a complaint from a victim.”
As a result, officers discovered a company that advertised itself online as an internationally renowned spiritual retreat organization and boasted awards as a guarantee,” police said.
Police say the group held several retreats a week without the means to respond to intoxications, and generated hundreds of thousands of euros in undeclared income last year.
It promoted the retreats online with promises of a “mystical” experience and health benefits that drew clients “from around the world, the majority from Europe.”
Police arrested two men and a woman suspected of leading the group and placed five other people under investigation for allegedly acting as “spiritual guides” at the retreats.
They face charges of d.r.u.g trafficking, money laundering and criminal association.
Officers seized 11 liters of ayahuasca, 117 San Pedro cactus plants and several bottles of Kambo, an oozy substance harvested from the skin secretions of the Amazonian giant monkey tree frog.
Police said that 945 Ritalin tablets as well as cash and numerous documents were also seized.
Police said the substances “can have unpredictable, dangerous effects.”
The frog, which is widespread in the Amazon, secretes the material as a defense mechanism to either kill or deter predators from consuming it.
For centuries, Indigenous people in South America have used kambo, believing it wards off bad luck and improves hunting skills. Today, proponents claim kambo “rids the body of toxins, brings mental clarity and treats various illnesses” but there is no research proving its supposed health benefits.
Kambo has been linked to d.e.a.t.h.s, s.e.i.z.u.r.e.s, liver f.a.i.l.u.r.e and heart a.t.t.a.c.k.s.
