Photo of khat plants from the U.S. Department of Justice.
A stop for a motor vehicle violation may have led the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office to a first today — the seizure of 28 grams of khat, a flowering evergreen native to Africa.
Lieutenant Chuck Hasty said Deputy Emerson Carroll made a traffic stop on the north bound lane of Interstate 95 near Highway 903.
Carroll, apparently sensing something suspicious and noticing indicators officers use for traffic stops, summoned Agent Tim Harris and his dog Josh for assistance.The dog hit on a scent in the van and officers discovered 489 grams of psychedelic mushrooms with a street value of $30,000 and 28 grams of khat, both wrapped in Christmas packages. The street value of khat is unknown but the U.S. Department of Justice website says it is relatively costly.
Hasty said the Drug Enforcement Administration said it may be the first time the drug has been found in Halifax County.
Carroll charged Klaros Vledimir Ridore, 42, of Pompano Beach, Florida, with possession with intent to manufacture,sell,deliver schedule I controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture,sell,deliver schedule IV controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ridore was placed in the Halifax County Jail under a $5,000 bond and has an October 27 court date.
Hasty said Ridore is Haitian but is in the country legally. He was headed to New Jersey when he was stopped.
Hasty said khat is a flowering evergreen shrub native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.Khat that is sold and abused is usually just the leaves, twigs and shoots of the plant, which can be classified as schedule I when it is freshly picked or schedule IV when it dries.
A khat primer from the U.S. Department of Justice
Street terms: Abyssinian tea, African salad, oat, kat, chat, and catha. Also referred to as qat in Yemen, tschat in Ethiopia, and miraa in Kenya.Khat is typically chewed like tobacco. The fresh leaves, twigs, and shoots of the Khat shrub are chewed and then retained in the cheek and chewed intermittently to release the active drug. Dried plant material can be made into tea or a chewable paste.Khat can also be smoked and even sprinkled on food.
Consequences of khat use
Common side effects include anorexia, tahycardia, hypertension, insomnia, and gastric disorders. Prolonged khat abuse can result in symptoms such as physical exhaustion, violence and suicidal depression. Widespread frequent use of khat impacts productivity because it tends to reduce worker motivation.Khat can induce manic behaviors, hyperactivity and hallucinations.
Users
The use of khat is an established cultural tradition for many social situations in the areas of primary cultivation: East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.Several million people may currently be using Khat worldwide. The largest concentrations of users are in the regions surrounding the Middle East.
How does Khat get to the United States?
Khat, while illegal in the United States, is legal in much of Europe, East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Individuals of East African and Middle Eastern descent are mot often responsible for the importation, distribution, possession and use of the drug in the United States. Khat is usually shipped already packaged in bundles and wrapped in plastic bags or banana leaves to retain moisture and freshness. Khat is generally smuggled in passenger luggage, overnight express mail or shipped as air cargo and falsely labeled as "vegetables."
