Hallucinogenic mushrooms were sold to Florida tourists at mall apparel store, cops say

Hallucinogenic mushrooms and clothing don’t have much in common, but both were part of an unusual drug-dealing business model at one Florida shopping mall, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say an employee at the Zumiez clothing store in Treasure Coast Square came up with the idea, believing peddling drugs at work could help him reach a broader clientele, including tourists.

It was working perfectly — until word reached the sheriff’s office, officials said.

An undercover detective visited the youth-oriented store in Jensen Beach and was able to purchase half an ounce of psilocybin mushrooms for $80 — in a Zumiez shopping bag, officials said. Jensen Beach is about 115 miles north of Miami.

“Detectives got a tip that (suspect) had a side business selling the hallucinogens and other non-Zumiez sanctioned specialty items from the store,” the sheriff’s office said.

“(The suspect) seemed pleased at the word of mouth marketing that yielded new customers of all ages, until he was handcuffed. (He) said he was selling mushrooms for about a year and decided to increase his base by selling them inside the store when he was working.”

The 27-year-old suspect had been selling drugs from the store for “a couple of months,” officials said. The buyers were mostly tourists, but drug deals were also made with regular customers, officials said.

Buyers were able to connect with the suspect through Snapchat, the sheriff’s office said.

The suspect, who lives in Port St. Lucie, was arrested at the store Sept. 1 and charged possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and “sale and distribution of narcotics,” officials said.

This story was originally published October 5, 2023 at 8:59 AM with the headline "Hallucinogenic mushrooms were sold to Florida tourists at mall apparel store, cops say."