Czech customs seizes khat worth 6.2 million USD in one month

Czech customs officers seized three consignments of dried khat plant in the past month, which could be sold for more than 151 million crowns (6.2 million U.S. dollars) in total, said Prague-Ruzyne customs office spokeswoman Sarka Miskovska on Wednesday.

The customs officers found 132.5 kg of dried sprouts last week which were transferred by plane from Tanzania to Prague.

The drug probably was not designated for the Czech Republic, and the khat of this quantity could be sold for 66.25 million crowns (2.7 million U.S. dollars) on the black market, said Miskovska.

The dried plant material were found in a lot of paper boxes. Through a professional test, experts confirmed that these plants are dried sprouts of catha edulis (khat), which contain alkaloids cathinone and cathine that are on the list of banned substances for imports and exports, said Miskovska.

The previous two consignments of total 170.7 kg dried khat, which seized by customs officers at the beginning and in the middle of October, were also most likely directed to other EU country on the road. Endit