Two New Yorkers Caught Smuggling Nearly Half a Ton of Illegal Stimulant Through Major Airport

Clear Facts

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized 847 pounds of khat, an illegal stimulant, from 12 suitcases at Baltimore/Washington International Airport on August 13
• Two U.S. citizens from New York arriving from London were caught with the controlled substance, which has an estimated street value of $100,000
• The men were released pending further investigation despite carrying one of the largest khat seizures in traveler baggage

Federal customs officers at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport uncovered a massive drug smuggling operation when two travelers from New York attempted to bring nearly 850 pounds of khat into the United States concealed in a dozen suitcases. The brazen smuggling attempt represents one of the largest seizures of the dangerous stimulant ever discovered in passenger luggage.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that the two U.S. citizens arrived from London on August 13 and were flagged for secondary inspection. What officers discovered during the routine baggage examination shocked even seasoned customs agents: each traveler had packed six soft-sided suitcases completely filled with what initially appeared to be tea leaves.

Testing confirmed the substance was khat, or Catha edulis, a Schedule I controlled substance. The total haul weighed approximately 847 pounds with an estimated street value of $100,000, according to federal authorities.

Despite the massive drug seizure, both men were released pending further investigation — a decision that raises questions about enforcement priorities at our nation’s borders.

Khat, also known as Abyssinian tea and African salad, is grown primarily in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Users typically chew the leaves for amphetamine-like effects, though dried khat can also be boiled to make a stimulant tea. The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies khat as containing two central nervous system stimulants: cathinone, a Schedule I controlled substance, and cathine, a Schedule IV controlled substance.

The health risks associated with khat are severe. According to the DEA, symptoms of khat toxicity include delusions, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, and dangerous increases in blood pressure and heart rate. The World Health Organization recognized these dangers when it classified khat as a drug of abuse in 1980.

This wasn’t an isolated incident at the Maryland airport. Just days earlier, CBP officers seized another 412 pounds of khat from unclaimed traveler baggage at the same facility. In that case, authorities said they “spooked” a suspected smuggler who fled the inspection station, abandoning the illegal cargo.

“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,” CBP’s Baltimore Area Port Director Adam Rottman said in a statement.

“Khat is illegal and poses severe health risks to users,” Rottman continued. “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 seizures highlight a growing problem at American airports. CBP officers seized roughly 46,000 pounds of khat during the last fiscal year and nearly 20,000 pounds during the current fiscal year so far, according to the agency. These numbers suggest organized smuggling networks are actively working to flood American communities with dangerous stimulants.

The London-to-Baltimore route appears to be a particularly popular corridor for khat smugglers attempting to exploit international travel to move large quantities of the controlled substance into the United States. The repeated seizures at Baltimore/Washington International Airport demonstrate both the persistence of smugglers and the vigilance of customs officers working to protect American citizens from dangerous drugs.

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