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Two Arrested For “Ayahuasca Ritual” In Chile
Written by Pamela Morales   
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 00:27

Psychologist Danae Sáenz Razis (37) and her therapist boyfriend, César Ahumada Lira (39), were charged with drug trafficking for distributing the illegal hallucinogenic ayahuasca in workshops designed to improve spiritual health.

According to police, the workshop attendees, mainly professionals from Santiago, paid the equivalent of US$80 to participate in the “ayahuasca rituals” held every other weekend on the couples’ land south of Santiago. Each participant received five millimeters of a liquid made from the plant.

Ayahuasca being prepared for use. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

An anonymous tip prompted a three-and-a-half month police investigation during which the couples´ trips and phone calls were monitored. The two were arrested after an undercover officer infiltrated the group posing as an attendee this past Saturday and identified Sáenz and Ahumada as the leaders.

Sáenz provided attendees a receipt for a psychotherapy session so that they could have the money they paid reimbursed by their medical insurer. This may prompt additional charges from the Public Health Ministry.

Police say Sáenz brought the ayahuasca into Chile from the Peruvian Amazon. More than 10 liters of the substance, worth USD$32,000, and 61 grams of marijuana were confiscated from the couples’ home.

Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic used by Amazonian shamans and whose main ingredient is dimethyltryptamine (DMT), is illegal in Chile. Though there are a number of studies into the drug’s effect on depression and drug addiction, the district attorney in the case, Jaime Retamal, said ayahuasca “has no known therapeutic or medical use . . . and clearly presents risks to those who use it.”

Sáenz and Ahumada were charged and released pending trial. Their attorney says they are cooperating with authorities. They could receive up to five years in prison if convicted.

SOURCES: LA TERCERA, EL MERCURIO, COOPERATIVA.CL
By Pamela Morales ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

 
Comments (9)
9 Thursday, 10 December 2009 10:46
Foxterry
The real costo of one liter Aya in Peru, is about US$ 10 Dollars.One of the best Rehab.Center in the world, Takiwasi Center in Peru, Tarapoto the cost for one sesion,(Including Doctors Psicologs, etc..is aprox. US$50 Dollars, The Strongest ever tasted., :) more info: www.youtube.com/foxterry
8 Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:01
Shari Downhill
Paula,

How about a little more indepth reporting on why the Chilean government is spending their resources on this "project"? Intent always leads to an interesting back story. And I'm with John...10L is worth $32,000? Honey, how's your math? Why, as a journalist, would you repeat such state issued jibberish? Bad form, Paula. Bad form. I'm sure you can do better in the future.
7 Wednesday, 18 November 2009 16:34
Maca
the sad thing is government is actually spending money to convict these people as drug dealers, when the actual drug dealers are running free trafficking actual dangerous and adictive stuff. It is amazing what ignorance can do to a country, and Chile is largely governed by people who are not only ignorant, but do not want to see beyond they're own short-sighted beliefs.
I happen to know these people, they are wonderful caring people who are very responsible at handling ayahuasca and who monitor the ritual all the time.
Why not make smoking illegal which actually kills people (but it's a money making business)?
6 Wednesday, 18 November 2009 15:01
dc
And what do you do for a living?
I bet you can't say that you help dozens of people monthly guiding them through the sacred use of a tremendous plant and a ritual that connects them to their inner self.
I am sorry but it is almost impossible to earn money in a worthier way, and if they needed the money is not their fault, it is just the way things are in our world.
5 Wednesday, 18 November 2009 04:57
Cesar
Ayahuasca is really sacred, but sale the tea is a crime because it target just the money. These people there are not interested in the holy communion or with the spiritual evolution... just the money, like the drug dealers.
The tea is a sacred tea, these people are bandits.
4 Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:49
Johnny
Let's all hope that these folks have a good lawyer, as the DA in this instance is woefully ignorant. Viva ayahuasca.
3 Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:08
deryk
Pamela, you write the story as if ayahuasca is a recreational drug like cocaine or heroin. Ayahuasca is a sacred tea that is legal in both Peru and Brazil. In fact, the Peruvian Government recently declared ayahuasca a part of it's traditional heritage. It is used in a spiritual ceremony, and never used in a recreational manner. Ayahuasca is more akin to a medicine.
2 Tuesday, 17 November 2009 12:39
alan shoemaker
It's a sacred medicina for Christ's sake! Don't the Chilean authorities have something better to do?
It's been used in Ceremony for 4,000 years and no doubt has been used in Chile for hundreds of years, which, if so, makes it legal there by virture of the Psychotropic Convention Treaty that Chile has signed onto.
1 Tuesday, 17 November 2009 09:19
John
If participants pay US$80 each for 100mL of the drug, wouldn't 10L be worth, at most, US$8000?

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