Denver officials are warning the public that regulatory inspectors have seen an increase in the sale of psilocybin-laced products at licensed retail stores, such as gas stations and convenience stores around the city.

Some products, including chocolate bars, might not be labeled with their actual ingredients and pose a danger to public health, the city’s Excise and Licenses officials warned in a consumer protection bulletin.

West Coast Gold Caps chocolate bars collected by the city, tested positive for psilocybin.

Following the test result, the city sent a letter to all licensed retail tobacco business in Denver to remind them that the sale of psilocybin-based products is illegal and that any businesses found to be selling these products are subject to severe enforcement action including potential license revocation.

At one of the Denver stores found selling psilocybin-laced chocolate bars, city investigators were presented with a letter from the manufacture claiming that the products did not have any psilocybin ingredients according to Eric Escudero, the communications director for Denver’s Excise and Licenses department.

“West Coast Gold Caps products are compliant with the DEA regulations and are legal for sale throughout the United States,” according to the letter (a copy of which officials provided The Denver Gazette).

Based on their independent testing, the city found the claims in the letter to be false.

Various psilocybin ingredients found could have dangerous health impacts.

Children, people mixing the drugs with prescription medicine and people under the influence when they are operating a vehicle or machinery may be especially at risk.

“People who heard that the state legalized psilocybin may not understand this is not like marijuana because there are no dispensaries. It is illegal to sell and it is only legal to get therapeutic treatment at a licensed natural medicine healing center or grow their own at home,” Escudero said.

Regulated natural medicine includes psilocybin and psilocin. It is illegal to sell, display or consume any natural medicine in public according to the city.

Denver is encouraging anyone who suspects a business is selling illegal substances in the city and county, including West Coast Gold Caps, to go to Denvergov.org/ConsumerProtection and submit a complaint or call 311.

The Denver Gazette attempted to contact West Coast Gold Caps, but did not receive a reply as of this publication.