The officers of the Customs Postal Appraising Department (PAD) at the Chennai Airport, which handles the clearance of post parcels arriving from abroad, detected a novel case of smuggling of khat leaves, a psychotropic substance at the Foreign Post Office here recently.
A post parcel which had arrived from Kenya and consigned to a local address in Chennai carried a declaration to the effect that it contained “herbs.” However, on scanning, it was detained on suspicion that the parcel might contain some contraband.
A call memo sent to the consignee did not elicit any response and hence the parcel was opened and examined, and it was found to contain dried leaves, which were suspected to be khat leaves. Khat leaves (Catha Edulis) had recently been added to the list of Psychotropic Substances specified in the schedule to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The consignment weighing 7.9 kg of suspected khat leaves valued at ₹19.75 lakh was seized under the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act and Customs Act.
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Khat is a flowering plant native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and contains alkaloid Cathine, an amphetamine-like stimulant, which is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria. Users simply chew the green khat leaves. The dried leaves can also be used in this way, though they have less potency. Some khat users also smoke the drug, make it into tea or sprinkle it on food.