U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers intercepted approximately 847 pounds of khat, a stimulant drug, packed into 12 suitcases at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The seizure occurred on Aug. 13 when two U.S. citizens arriving from London were referred for secondary inspection.
During baggage examination, officers discovered a large quantity of material that later tested positive for khat, also known as Catha edulis. Authorities reported that each traveler had six soft-sided suitcases filled with the substance, which has an estimated street value of about $100,000.
The two individuals were released pending further investigation. CBP stated that khat is illegal and poses severe health risks.
Khat is typically grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and is chewed for its amphetamine-like effects or boiled to make a stimulant tea. The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies cathinone, a component of khat, as a Schedule I controlled substance, and cathine as a Schedule IV controlled substance. Symptoms of khat toxicity can include delusions, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, and increased blood pressure and heart rate, according to the DEA.
This incident follows a separate seizure of 412 pounds of khat at the same airport just days prior, which was found in unclaimed baggage. In that instance, officers reportedly startled a suspected smuggler who then fled the inspection station.
Baltimore Area Port Director Adam Rottman noted that while CBP has encountered significant amounts of khat in commercial shipments, smuggling such large volumes within traveler baggage is unusual. "Khat is illegal and poses severe health risks to users," Rottman said in a statement. "CBP will continue to seize khat and other dangerous drugs when we encounter it and we will work with our law enforcement partners to hold smugglers accountable."
Last fiscal year, CBP officers seized approximately 46,000 pounds of khat, and nearly 20,000 pounds have been seized so far in the current fiscal year.