Customs Officers Intercept 847 Pounds of Khat in 12 Suitcases at Baltimore Airport

Two New York residents traveling from London to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on August 13 attempted to smuggle approximately 847 pounds of khat through customs in 12 soft-sided suitcases, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced. Officers referred the pair for secondary inspection upon their arrival, triggering a baggage examination that revealed the contraband hidden among what initially appeared to be tea leaves.

The confiscated khat, valued at roughly $100,000 on the street market, contained both cathinone and cathine, central nervous system stimulants classified as Schedule I and Schedule IV controlled substances respectively under federal law. Each traveler had packed six suitcases with the drug, which originates primarily from East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and is typically consumed by chewing or brewed as a stimulant beverage.

Adam Rottman, CBP’s Baltimore Area Port Director, characterized the cargo volume as unusually large for traveler baggage smuggling, noting that commercial shipments more commonly contain substantial khat quantities. The two individuals were released pending further investigation as authorities continue examining the case.

The seizure occurred days after CBP officers recovered an additional 412 pounds of khat from abandoned baggage at the same airport when a suspected smuggler fled during inspection. Over the previous fiscal year, CBP seized roughly 46,000 pounds of khat nationally, with nearly 20,000 pounds interdicted so far in the current fiscal year.