U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized approximately 850 pounds of khat packed into 12 suitcases at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on August 13. Two U.S. citizens from New York were referred for secondary inspection upon arrival from London, where officers discovered the substance during a baggage examination. The khat, which tested positive as Catha edulis, had an estimated street value of about $100,000.
Each traveler had six soft-sided suitcases filled with the substance. The men were released pending further investigation. Khat is typically grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and is known for its stimulant effects. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies khat as containing cathinone, a Schedule I controlled substance, and cathine, a Schedule IV controlled substance. Symptoms of khat toxicity can include delusions and increased heart rate.
This seizure follows another incident where CBP officers found 412 pounds of khat from unclaimed baggage at the same airport. CBP's Baltimore Area Port Director Adam Rottman noted that while substantial quantities of khat are often smuggled in commercial shipments, the volume found in traveler baggage is unusual. He emphasized the health risks associated with khat and the agency's commitment to seizing illegal drugs.