National police investigators closed a high-profile operation last Friday night, resulting in the arrest of four individuals at a residence in La Braña in Tuilla. The action followed weeks of effort sparked by information received through an email alerting authorities to a group described as a sect. Police sources indicate that the core members claimed to lead spiritual and healing ceremonies, guided by the perceived extraordinary abilities of their leaders, and that these events were organized under the banner of a broader spiritual movement.
Officials report that the ceremonies were conducted illegally for profit and involved psychoactive substances such as ayahuasca and yopo, substances known to carry significant risks to both physical and mental health. The group reportedly framed neo-shamanism as the foundational belief system, blending ancestral mystical practices with contemporary ritual methods, and presenting yopo as an ancestral medicine within their doctrine.
Law enforcement asserts that the Swedish national identified as the group’s leader used these substances to recruit and influence participants during the ceremonies. In exchange for fees, attendees were exposed to the substances, a practice described by investigators as a means to fund the activities of the spiritual leader and his family. Authorities also caution that in some instances the psychoactive substances appeared to be offered as a substitute therapy for conventional medical treatment, a tactic that could render participants more vulnerable to mental manipulation and health vulnerabilities.
According to investigators, the shaman moved across the country to stage celebratory rites involving psychoactive substances in the presence of minors. During the operation conducted in Langreo, authorities seized cash and foreign currency totaling 5,000 euros, along with various substances believed to be psychoactive, including caapi (ayahuasca), yopo, coca leaf, and snuff. Kitchen tools used for the preparation and consumption of yopo were also confiscated. Four individuals were arrested on charges of participating in a criminal organization and involvement in crimes against public health.
The Langreo Third Court of First Instance released the detainees after their statements were taken. Three of them were released without charges, while the spiritual guide identified by the initials AR remains under investigation for an alleged drug trafficking offense. At present, a charge related to crimes against public health has been filed, though authorities note that the formal classification of the case could evolve with ongoing investigations and proceedings.
The accused parties deny all wrongdoing and reject any notion of belonging to a sect. Attendees insisted that the substances used by AR were simply herbs from the Amazon, tobacco, and a resin blend derived from various plants intended to aid healing. The operation, codenamed Bunachi, targeted a neo-shamanic group that hosted ceremonies involving psychoactive substances, according to police. The investigation emphasizes the imminent risk posed by the supply of prohibited substances, especially in the presence of minors. The arrests were carried out by officers from the General Information Police Station, with collaboration from the Oviedo City Information Brigade and under the direction of the Langreo District Court, marking a coordinated effort to curb illegal drug activity within a religious-like assembly setting.