Police seize $750K worth of magic mushrooms, shut down illicit website

Magic mushrooms are seen in a grow room at the Procare farm in Hazerswoude, central Netherlands, Friday Aug. 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Calgary — Following a six-month investigation, Calgary police and RCMP have shut down a website allegedly selling magic mushrooms and seized an estimated $750,000 worth of drugs from a property in Forestburg, Alta.

The investigation was launched in January after members of the Calgary Police Service's cybercrimes unit came across a website purporting to sell psilocybin -- better known as magic mushrooms.

A search warrant was served on June 30.

Forestburg is about 300 kilometres northeast of Calgary.

"During the search of the property, we located electronic exhibits and a psilocybin production lab with a significant amount of drugs and drug paraphernalia, with an estimated value of $750,000," police said in a release.

"Following the search, our cyber investigators were able to shut down the illicit trafficking website."

Shawn Michael Casey, 40, of Forestburg, has been charged with 13 counts of trafficking and seven counts of possession of property obtained by crime.

Police said further charges are expected.

"As drug markets have moved to online platforms, so have our investigations. We have adapted our capabilities, pairing drug investigators with cyber investigators, to ensure we are able to take action when we identify local sources of online drug trafficking," said CPS Cybercrimes Unit Staff Sgt. Jeremy Wittman in a release.

"Being adaptable to changing crime trends is an important step in protecting our communities from harmful drugs and the violence that often accompanies drug trafficking."