Windsor police raid downtown magic mushroom store for fifth time
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An illegal magic mushroom retail outlet that keeps sprouting up in downtown Windsor was busted by authorities this week for the fifth time.
Windsor police raided the psilocybin dispensary on Monday, seizing $20,000 in illegal drugs and charging one employee. Officers with the drugs and guns unit searched the store, located in the 300 block of Ouellette Avenue, just after 4 p.m.
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Both city police and Windsor Coun. Renaldo Agostino confirmed to the Star on Wednesday that the raid was at FunGuyz. This despite the company saying in November that after hundreds of police busts it was closing down all its Ontario storefronts.
“I’m very happy that it was raided again and hopefully this is the last time,” said Agostino, who represents the downtown on city council. “And you know what the truth is? One day, if that business is allowed to open, I’d be more than happy to welcome it.
“Right now, they’re selling illegal items.”
A sign Wednesday in the window of the FunGuyz magic mushroom dispensary suggested visitors ring the bell “and take a chance” on whether or not it was open.
The Star was unable to reach the owners of FunGuyz for comment on Wednesday.
Police said they located 3,440 psilocybin capsules, 318.7 grams of dried psilocybin, 250 psilocybin-infused gummies, 53 psilocybin-infused chocolate bars, seven psilocybin-infused vape cartridges and $3,320 in cash.
Police estimated the value of the seized drugs at $20,570.
Sales of products containing the hallucinogen psilocybin are currently illegal in Canada.
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Health Canada warns that taking psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms, can cause people to “see, hear or feel things that are not there, or to experience anxiety, fear, nausea and muscle twitches accompanied by increased heart rate and blood pressure.”
A 20-year-old employee has been charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purposes of trafficking.
Between July 2023 and April 2024, Windsor police executed four warrants at the retail location, seizing more than $140,000 worth of psilocybin-infused products.
In the first three raids in July, August and December of 2023, officers seized an estimated $100,000-plus worth of psilocybin-infused products. In April 2024, police seized almost $42,000 of psilocybin and $2,420 in currency.
The company opened multiple retail locations across Ontario, with Windsor’s opening in late June of 2023. A co-owner of the Toronto-based company said at the time its sales might be illegal, but the goal is similar to the path previously laid out that led to the legalization of cannabis in Canada.
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with further information is asked to call the Windsor Police Service DIGS unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4361 or contact Windsor & Essex County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS) or online at catchcrooks.com
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