‘Spooked’ Traveler Abandoned Over 400 Pounds Of Khat In Luggage At Baltimore Airport, CBP Says

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said officers in Baltimore foiled a smuggling operation when a “spooked” traveler abandoned luggage containing more than 400 pounds of khat, a plant-based stimulant typically grown in Africa.

CBP officers at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI)) Airport on Aug. 11 inspected five duffel bags left behind on a baggage carousel after a flight from London cleared. They discovered “a commercial quantity of what appeared to be tea leaves,” but field testing identified the leaves as khat.

An additional bag containing 81 more pounds of khat arrived the following day. In total, the bags contained 412 pounds of khat, with an estimated street value of about $50,000.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, khat naturally contains two controlled stimulants: cathinone, a Schedule I controlled substance, and cathine, a Schedule IV controlled substance. Symptoms of khat toxicity include increased blood pressure and heart rate, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, and delusions.

Khat, also known as Abyssinian tea and African salad, is typically grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and is primarily chewed or boiled into tea for an amphetamine-like effect.

CBP said baggage tags identified the traveler, who was confirmed to have cleared CBP inspection at BWI, but officers were “unsuccessful” in their attempts to contact the traveler directly or through the airline.

The agency said that while travelers may forget their luggage for a variety of reasons, including a rushed connection, they believe this traveler was “spooked.”

“It’s clear that a very vigilant Customs and Border Protection officer spooked this traveler and foiled an attempt to smuggle a substantial amount of a controlled substance into the United States,” said Adam Rottman, CBP’s Area Port Director in Baltimore. “Intercepting dangerous drugs along our nation’s borders remains one of our priority missions, and it is one way in which CBP can help keep our communities safe.”