Thousands of pounds of the drug khat have been smuggled into the U.S. over the past month — but what exactly is it?
Khat, which is pronounced like “cot,” is a flowering evergreen shrub typically grown in parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The shrub’s leaves can be chewed for their stimulant-like effect, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
People using khat often store it in their cheeks, like chewing tobacco, and intermittently chew it to release the active drug, cathinone, which creates an enhanced sense of energy and euphoria.
However, because of its cathinone content, khat is categorized as a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S., meaning it currently has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, according to the DEA. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin and ecstasy.
Khat users may experience “grandiose delusions, paranoia, nightmares, hallucinations and hyperactivity,” the agency warns. Long-term abuse can also result in violence and suicidal depression.
open image in galleryThe drug is not regulated around the world. It is also among the many substances being trafficked into the U.S. on a regular basis. The U.S. government has seized about 19,000 pounds so far this year.
Customs and Border Protection has intercepted thousands of pounds of khat entering the U.S. at airports just in the past month, including about 1,200 pounds of khat that arrived at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport with three travelers from Senegal.
“Our officers do an outstanding job stopping shipments like these,” Michael Pfieffer, the acting director of operations at CBP’s Chicago Field Office, said, according to WGN 9.
“Criminals keep trying different ways to sneak their contraband into the United States and our officers do a better job of finding it and pursuing prosecutorial options,” Pfieffer added.
open image in galleryIn the last month, CBP officers also seized large quantities of khat at Baltimore Washington International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.
Just under 1,260 pounds of the drug were found in the suitcases of two New York men who arrived from London at Baltimore Washington International Airport earlier this month.
At Dulles, a man from New York arriving from Paris attempted to smuggle in 367 pounds of the drug. Two other men from Georgia and New York were also caught with 764 pounds of khat at the airport.
A CBP spokesperson told the outlet that the agency has “consistently interdicted its illegal importation for decades.”
“It’s not a new trend; rather, it remains a persistent enforcement focus as officers continue to intercept shipments and travelers attempting to smuggle this stimulant into the U.S.”