OttawaOttawa police seized over 14 kilograms of magic mushrooms in a series of raids last week that came in response to recent arson attacks on illegal dispensaries in the city.Recent arson attacks on illegal mushroom stores have attracted attention of investigatorsCBC News · Posted: Oct 06, 2025 1:39 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoRaids on nine Ottawa mushoom dispensaries last week followed a series of arson attacks on the illegal businesses last month, the Ottwa Police Service said. (Joseph Tunney/CBC)Ottawa police seized over 14 kilograms of magic mushrooms in a series of raids last week that came in response to recent arson attacks on illegal dispensaries in the city.The Ottawa Police Service’s (OPS) street crime and drugs unit executed search warrants at nine locations suspected of selling psilocybin on Thursday and Friday, OPS said in a statement Monday. As well as seizing large quantities of dried mushrooms, officers also seized over $10,000 in cash and other psilocybin-based products including capsules, beverages, edibles and vape pens.Nine people were charged with possession of illegal drugs for the purposes of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime. Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, is a Schedule 3 controlled substance, meaning it’s illegal to possess without a prescription. Dispensaries selling magic mushrooms are illegal but have nevertheless opened in many Canadian cities in recent years, including Ottawa.At times police have appeared to tolerate the illegal storefronts while focusing enforcement resources on more harmful drugs, but recent fires at dispensaries have attracted their attention. “While synthetic opioid traffickers, such as those dealing fentanyl and organized crime groups, continue to be a top priority, those involved in the drug trade who engage in violence or activities that threaten public safety also become top priorities for our teams,” said Staff Sgt. James McGarry in the OPS release. A string of ‘violent arsons’McGarry confirmed to CBC that last week’s raids were directly linked to the arsons.”Over the last month or so, we’ve seen an uptick in violent arsons targeting mushroom shops, which naturally would bring those locations to our attention at a higher priority scale,” he told CBC in an interview Monday. “We determined that in the best interest of public safety, it was time that we started addressing community concerns.”The OPS arson unit is investigating fires at dispensaries on Bank Street in Centretown, on Rideau Street near Dalhousie Street and on Preston Street south of Highway 417, all of which occurred last month. Similar incidents have also been reported in Toronto. The OPS is also threatening to bring criminal charges against property owners and landlords who knowingly allow illegal drug sales on their premises.
Police seize 14 kilos of magic mushrooms in raids on 9 Ottawa dispensaries
