Home / Crime and Justice / Khat Bust: 1,000+ Pounds Seized at O'Hare
Khat Bust: 1,000+ Pounds Seized at O'Hare
25 Aug
Summary
- Over 1,000 pounds of illegal stimulant khat were seized.
- Busts occurred last week at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
- Three travelers from Senegal were arrested and charged.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted over 1,100 pounds of the illegal stimulant khat at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The seizures happened last week in two separate incidents. In the first, officers found 167 packages of khat in the luggage of two travelers from Senegal.
The following day, another traveler from Senegal was found with 93 packages of khat. In total, 1,172 pounds of the substance were confiscated, with an estimated street value of over $140,000. All three individuals were arrested and face charges for trafficking a controlled substance.
Khat, known for its stimulant effects similar to amphetamines, is typically grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It contains cathinone and cathine, stimulants that can cause toxicity. This seizure reflects an increasing trend of khat smuggling into the U.S. via traveler luggage.
