Mass. man had psilocybin mushroom ‘laboratory’ in his home, police say
A North Reading man has been arrested after police say they found a "sophisticated drug manufacturing laboratory" in his home.
Christopher Vlahakis, 57, was arrested Thursday and charged with unlawful manufacturing of a class C substance (psilocybin) and possession of a class C controlled substance with intent to distribute (psilocybin), according to a press release from the North Reading Police Department.
Police executed a search warrant at Vlahakis' home on Thursday after what the department called a "proactive and lengthy investigation into drug distribution."
In his home, officers found equipment and supplies used for the cultivation of hallucinogenic psilocybin mushrooms as well as mushroom spores at "various stages of growth" and mushrooms packaged for sale, the department said.
Vlahakis was arraigned in Woburn District Court on Thursday and ordered held on $1,000 bail.
In a statement, Police Chief Mark Zimmerman thanked federal law enforcement, Woburn Police and other members of the Southern Middlesex Regional Drug Task Force for their help on the investigation "as we seek to keep our communities safe from those who would manufacture and distribute dangerous drugs."
"The North Reading Police Department is committed to increasing its investigative capabilities through specialized training, information sharing, and joint investigations to better protect our community from the dangers of illicit drugs," he said.
The latest from MassLive
Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
