A world renowned actor in the world of pornography, Nacho Vidal was arrested in Spain for manslaughter after the death of a man who inhaled psychedelic toad venom during a mystical ritual, the Civil Guard announced on Wednesday.
The 46-year-old Spaniard was arrested in the Valencia region last week in connection with the death of a man in July 2019, which the local press identifies as the fashion photographer Jose Luis Abad.
Nacho Vidal, detenido tras la muerte de un fotógrafo en un rito con veneno de sapo https://t.co/OaIyTmtcdE pic.twitter.com/wM2T60tgem
- FormulaTV (@FormulaTV) June 3, 2020During this supposedly therapeutic ritual, the victim died after inhaling venom from Bufo Alvarius, a rare species of toad native to the Mexican desert of Sonora, which has powerful psychedelic effects. His death was initially attributed to a heart attack, but police opened an investigation that led to the arrest of Nacho Vidal, a family member and an employee, suspected of manslaughter.
An effect comparable to ayahuasca
According to the Civil Guard press release, Nacho Vidal regularly organized these rituals of which he praised the therapeutic virtues. But these "seemingly harmless rituals" presented "serious health risks", attracting people "easily influenced, vulnerable or seeking help for an illness or addiction through alternative methods".
This toad venom contains a powerful psychotropic drug called 5-MeO-DMT, the effects of which have been compared to ayahuasca, a very hallucinogenic concoction from the Amazon and consumed during shamanic rituals. The local press claims that this disastrous ritual took place in the country house of Nacho Vidal, a porn star who has also appeared in mainstream films in Spain.