STERLING, Va., – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently seized two additional loads of khat, with a combined weight of 799 pounds, in air cargo at Washington Dulles International Airport.
KhatThe first khat load arrived on a flight August 24 from United Arab Emirates manifested as “dry moringa.” CBP officers examined the shipment and discovered 563 pounds, 8 ounces of the green leafy product. The shipment was destined to Alexandria, Virginia.
The second khat load arrived on a flight August 31 from Turkey manifested as “moringa oleifera.” CBP officers examined that shipment and discovered 235 pounds, 7 ounces of khat. The shipment was destined to Arlington, Virginia.
Authorities made no arrests. An investigation continues.
These seizures follow two CBP khat seizures in air cargo at Washington Dulles International Airport during July. The combined weight of that seizure was 984 pounds.
“This is the fourth large shipment of khat recently seized by our officers at Washington Dulles International Airport and is another example of our vigilance realizing enforcement success,” said Casey Durst, CBP’s Field Operations Director in Baltimore. “CBP is the first line of defense against transnational criminal organizations and we will remain steadfast in our mission to secure our homeland and to help keep our families and the American public safe.”
A U.S. Department of Agriculture botanist and CBP’s chief agriculture specialist confirmed these shipments as khat.
Khat is a green, leafy plant typically grown in the Arabian Peninsula and chewed for its stimulant effect. The World Health Organization classified khat as a drug of abuse in 1980.
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies khat as a schedule 1 narcotic – the most restrictive category used by the DEA – when the leaves are freshly picked. Its principal components, cathine and cathinone, are considered controlled substances in the United States. Please see more information on the DEA Khat Fact Sheet.
CBP’s Office of Field Operations
CBP routinely conducts inspection operations on arriving and departing international flights and intercepts narcotics, weapons, currency, prohibited agriculture products, counterfeit goods and other illicit items at our nation’s 328 international ports of entry. Learn what CBP achieved on “A Typical Day” during 2017.
CBP’s Border Security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.
Learn more about CBP at CBP.gov.
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