CBP officers seize nearly 850 pounds of khat from travelers at BWI Airport

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly 850 pounds of khat at Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport, just days after officers discovered another large shipment of the controlled substance at the airport.

CBP said two U.S. citizens from New York arrived at BWI on a flight from London on Aug. 13 and were referred to a secondary inspection.

During an examination of their luggage, officers discovered a large quantity of what appeared to be tea leaves.

Field tests identified the substance as khat, or Catha edulis, according to CBP.

ALSO READ | Baltimore man sentenced to life plus 45 years in deadly Westside Shopping Center shooting

Khat, also known as Abyssinian tea or African salad, is primarily grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The leaves are commonly chewed for their stimulant effects and can also be dried and boiled to make tea.

Authorities said each traveler had six soft-sided suitcases filled with khat. The 12 suitcases contained a combined 846 pounds, 9 ounces of the substance, with an estimated street value of approximately $100,000.

CBP seized the khat and released both travelers pending an investigation. Officials did not identify the men.

Customs and Border Protection officers have observed substantial quantities of khat being smuggled in commercial shipments, but smuggling loads of this volume inside traveler baggage is a bit unusual, and not any more successful,” said CBP’s Baltimore Area Port Director Adam Rottman, via press release. “Khat is illegal and poses severe health risks to users. 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.

The discovery came just two days after CBP officers seized more than 400 pounds of khat from luggage left behind at BWI.

On Aug. 11, officers inspected five duffel bags that had been left at a baggage carousel following another flight from London.

ALSO READ | Baltimore man sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for drug trafficking, gun charge

An additional bag containing 81 pounds of khat arrived the next day. The six bags ultimately contained 412 pounds, 4 ounces of khat worth an estimated $50,000, according to CBP.

Officials said baggage tags allowed them to identify the traveler connected to the earlier shipment but attempts to contact that person directly or through the airline were unsuccessful.

Combined, the two seizures amounted to more than 1,250 pounds of khat at BWI in a matter of days.