Narcotic Khat leaves from Kenya seized at airport

The parcel which arrived from Kenya declared as herbs was opened after a call memo sent to the consignee address did not elicit any response. When examined, the parcel was found containing dried leaves of Catha Edulis (Khat), listed as a psychotropic substance by the Government of India in February. Khat is a flowering plant from Africa, which contains the alkaloid cathine, an amphetamine-like stimulant. 

Most users chew the green leaves while some others smoke the drug, make it into tea or sprinkle it on food, a press release from the customs office said. It may be recalled that a 500-kg consignment of suspected-to-be narcotics dry leaves, which arrived through courier from an African country, was lying unclaimed at the Chennai airport. Booked as herbal medicine, the 25 boxes of the contraband, which arrived in three different consignments since December 2017 were found unclaimed at the air cargo section.

In that case, the consignment that arrived from Ethiopia came in batches. The first parcel had 14 boxes, while the second had 10 and a single box in the last parcel. There are 25 boxes in all, each weighing 20 kg.All boxes looked similar and were addressed to the same person, a non-existent entity. Now, the customs officials had disclosed that a similar parcel which arrived from Kenya contained Khat leaves.