Canadian Border Services seized 160 kilograms of dried khat, an illegal substance, at the Edmonton International Airport on Aug. 20.
Saturday, September 07, 2013
EDMONTON - The Canada Border Services Agency announced Friday it has seized 160 kilograms of the illegal substance khat at Edmonton International Airport.
Officials say the dried, green leafy substance was discovered Aug. 20 in a cargo shipment from the United Kingdom that was declared as green tea. The shipment consisted of 20 boxes on two wood pallets, each containing four plastic bags. The drugs have been turned over to the RCMP as the investigation continues.
This is the largest khat seizure for the agency this year and the 24th in Alberta.
A plant native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, khat is not considered a controlled substance in the U.K. but is in Canada, the United States and other parts of Europe.
Khat is chewed and produces a mild, narcotic effect.
Source: Edmonton Journal