A French tourist was reportedly caught carrying magic mushrooms at the notorious Full Moon Party in Thailand.

The reveller, identified by police only as William, 40, reportedly purchased the drugs while partying on the island of Koh Phangan, on March 13.

Eagle-eyed tourist police were monitoring the raucous festivities when they spotted the Frenchman 'acting suspiciously' as he headed into a restroom holding a plastic bag. They followed him inside and found him standing in front of the sink to wash the narcotic mushrooms.

Footage shows the officers cuffing William before searching his bag for more drugs.

He was arrested and taken to the Koh Phangan Police Station for questioning. Police seized from him 159 grammes (around six ounces) of magic mushrooms.

During the interrogation, William claimed he had bought the banned substance from a Burmese man for 2,000 Baht (46 GBP). He added he was planning to cook the mushrooms into an omelette.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Winit Boonchit of the Tourist Police said: 'Magic mushrooms are dangerous as they heavily affect the nervous system. They have a faded yellow colour, are like dried straw with the top coloured dark brown or black. The stem has a thin white layer around it, similar to a ring, which can be deadly to those who consume it.'

He added that William will be charged for possessing Category V narcotics. The Food and Drug Administration said those who import, export, sell, or possess magic mushrooms without permission may face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of 500,000 Baht (11,500 GBP).

Police said the investigation was being expanded to track down the Burmese magic mushroom seller.

The Thai Full Moon Party is an all-night beach party on the island of Koh Phangan. The party takes place on the night of every full moon and is usually attended by thousands of backpackers.

However, the event has become a notorious celebration filled with cheap drink and drugs. With cannabis now legal on the island, magic mushrooms, kratom, methamphetamine and LSD are also widely available.

In January, Regan Kelly, 28, from Selsdon, south London, is said to have plunged into the sea and drowned while high on a cocktail of cannabis and cocaine on the island of Phuket,

In December last year, Christopher Stephen Boucher, 37, from Gillingham, Kent, was found dead after attending the same event. He had downed cheap shots before he was found lifeless on the steps of a 7-Eleven store at 6:30am in the morning.

(1 GBP = 43.51 THB)