Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Sanyasins

Last year [1979 - ed.] two young English women were arrested in Paris for smuggling drugs, and awaited trial for a considerable period of time. It now transpires that one of them, the 24-year-old daughter of a business advisor has been sentenced to 8 months imprisonment in Paris, a fine of £ 10,000, followed by a suspended sentence of 16 months if she goes home to her parents care. Apparently she had undergone "treatment" in the "serenity tank" at this Rajneesh ashram in Poona - 3 sessions of 6 hours, floating in warm salt water in total darkness. She admitted that she had agreed to carry the suitcase carrying the cannabis, but that she did not know what it contained. She had been promised payment for taking it so that she could buy herself a room at the ashram. The suitcase contained 11 lbs of cannabis worth £ 15,000. The psychologist called in to the case told the court that those who left the sect were found to have regressed to the mental age of 12.