A CAVE-dwelling cult leader known as Total Transcendence allegedly doped his followers with mind-numbing mercury in a secret lab.
The leader, identified as Jose Manuel Canovas, has been arrested after his sprawling 24-acre compound was raided by police.
Credit: Pen NewsA cult leader, identified by Spanish media as Jose Manuel Canovas, has been arrested[/caption]
Credit: Pen NewsThe man, who calls himself Total Transcendence, had his sprawling 24-acre compound raided by police[/caption]
Credit: Pen NewsCanovas doped his followers with mercury “for economic and power purposes”[/caption]
The estate in Murcia, south-east Spain, boasted temples, clandestine laboratories, bunkers, and cave dwellings, as well as a 200kg hoard of mercury, and extremely toxic metal.
This was used to make so-called “purified mercury” – claimed to be an energising and vitalising elixir, which was taken by followers and sold online and through herbalists.
These “psychoactive substances dangerous to health” were used by Canovas to “manipulate the will of his followers for economic and power purposes”, according to police.
They added that the former masseuse, who spread his teachings via YouTube, and his closest acolytes lived in caves on site.
Whilst making the elixir, they would come down with “symptoms caused by the neurotoxicity of mercury”.
Waste from production was simply washed into the site’s septic tank – a practice the authorities called “highly toxic to the environment”.
Several female followers had completely cut ties with their families and friends, spending long periods locked up with the leader in his house.
These “renouncers” joined in with his vow of silence too.
The followers, who worked long hours, also made financial contributions to the cult – which was reportedly dubbed the Mahasandhi Foundation.
On its now defunct website, a page describing the process for membership asked for monthly donations of up to €2,000 (£1,700).
The compound near the town of Albanilla, where the cult leader lived with ten of his followers, was raided by police last Friday.
At the same time, they raided a warehouse operated by the cult in the town of Lorqui.
Across both locations, officers seized €90,000 (£78,000) in cash, as well as a revolver, 19kg of marijuana, the mercury stockpile, and various documents pertaining to the chemical.
An earlier raid in the town of Abaran had already unearthed a cellar containing 180kg of mercury and cinnabar, among other substances.
Police said the cult leader was detained for alleged crimes against public health, the environment, workers’ rights, and moral integrity, as well as for illicit association.
Canovas reportedly established his cult in Albanilla some 15 years ago.
Spanish newspaper La Opinion de Murcia said the 50-year-old founded the Buddhist sect after returning from India.
It described how, on his now defunct YouTube channel, he would have a follower read his lips and speak for him, so he could maintain his vow of silence.
During his arrest, he reportedly communicated with police by writing on a chalkboard.
He also planned to build the biggest Buddha in Europe, the newspaper reported.
Credit: Pen NewsThe estate in Murcia, south-east Spain, boasted temples, clandestine laboratories, bunkers, and cave dwellings[/caption]
Credit: Pen NewsThe so-called “purified mercury” is meant to be an energising and vitalising elixir[/caption]
Credit: Pen NewsOfficers seized €90,000 (£78,000) in cash across two locations[/caption]
Credit: Pen NewsPolice said Canovas was detained for alleged crimes against public health, the environment, workers’ rights, moral integrity and illicit association[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
