CBP officers recover $50,000 worth of khat from abandoned luggage at BWI Airport

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recovered approximately $50,000 worth of khat from the baggage claim area at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport.

Khat, also known as Abyssinian tea and African salad, is typically grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and is chewed for its amphetamine-like effects. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers khat a drug of abuse.

Khat contains two central nervous system stimulants: cathinone, a Schedule I controlled substance, and cathine, a Schedule IV controlled substance, according to the National Library of Medicine. The effects of khat toxicity can include delusions, depression, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and other types of manic behavior, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

CBP officers recovered nearly 331 pounds of khat from five suitcases that arrived from London on Aug. 11. An additional suitcase containing 81 pounds of khat arrived on Aug. 12, bringing the total to approximately 412 pounds.

CBP officers initially believed the substance appeared to be tea leaves before field tests confirmed the leaves were khat.  

Officers identified the traveler, who had cleared CBP inspection, but were unable to contact them directly or through the airline.

CBP warns that travelers may leave baggage on the carousel for several reasons, including rushing to catch a connecting flight, forgetting to retrieve their baggage, believing their baggage will automatically be transferred to a connecting flight, or attempting to distance themselves from illicit materials in the presence of CBP officers.

"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."