Dramatic surge in number of magic mushrooms being seized at Kiwi border

Last year saw the biggest haul in nearly a decade.

Ordered through the internet underbelly, sent in the mail – and nabbed.

More than 2.5kg of magic mushrooms was seized at the border last year in what amounted to the biggest haul in almost a decade.

There’s been a dramatic surge in the amount of mushrooms intercepted at the border, revealed in figures released under the Official Information Act.

In 2012 it was just 32 grams from two interceptions.

“We’re seeing large gluts in the world market across the board, these syndicates just see this as another marketing campaign - and New Zealand’s another market,” Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry told 1 NEWS.

“What we’re finding is people can access the internet, they’re seeing a degree of anonymity in terms of ordering over the web – they realise it’s illegal, it’s cheap, it’s available,” he said.

Customs is issuing a warning along with the data.

“What they have to realise is these types of products, the mushrooms, are a Class A drug the same as cocaine or methamphetamine – they face the same sentence if we go after them.”

When asked if last year’s big increase was because of more drugs being sent to New Zealand or because Customs was better at finding them, Mr Berry said it was likely to be both.

The National Poisons Centre was yet to see a corresponding hike in people seeking help, however.

“We haven’t noticed yet any increase in calls to us, people reporting using them, or doctors and healthcare providers looking for help with that,” National Poisons Centre director Dr Adam Pomerleau told 1 NEWS.

But he said the risks remain.

“There’s a risk of a wrong sort of mushroom, and so mushrooms can cause different sorts of health effects – some mushrooms can be very damaging to the liver and can cause a lot of injury in that way,” he said.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty… you might have a whole set of experiences or problems that you don’t anticipate.”

But one of the big concerns is people being traumatically hurt while hallucinating.

Bruce Berry from Customs said more drugs of all kinds were being found at the border.

“I think the spike that we’re seeing in terms of magic mushrooms is aligned with all types of drugs that we’re seeing at the border the moment.

“If you look across all seizures, they’re increasing and I think part of that is the availability and the web, and people’s desire to be anonymous in their importation,” he said.

SHARE ME