60 Kg of khat seized at Calgary Airport
Toronto woman and man from Great Britain arrested
Bundles of khat seized at YYC
For the second time in two weeks, Canada Border Service Agency officers have seized a sizeable quantity of khat at the Calgary International Airport.
CBSA officers seized just under 60 Kg of khat from two people entering Canada from the United Kingdom on Monday, January 30. On Thursday, January 19 a man traveling from the United Kingdom was allegedly found to be carrying 30 Kg of khat in his suitcase. Umar Ahmed of Fort McMurray has been charged with the importation of khat and possession of khat for the purpose of trafficking.
Rusty the dog caught the khat
Most recently, on Monday, January 30, officers found the illegal substance in four checked bags during a secondary examination. A sniffer dog named Rusty found the drugs in bags that were coming into Canada from the United Kingdom. Lisa White of the Canada Border Services Agency says that almost 600 bundles of the plant were seized and turned over to the RCMP, along with the accused. Daoud Ahmed, 50, of Bristol, England along with Sadia Muke Osman, 40, of Toronto were arrested, processed and charged.
Each of the accused were charged under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act with importation and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Khat is a flowering plant native to the Horn of Africa that acts as a stimulant. It is a controlled substance that causes euphoria, increased blood pressure and heart rate and decreases appetite. The long term effects of khat are depression, hallucination and oral cancer. In Canada, khat is the most common illegal drug smuggled into Canadian airports.
The RCMP investigation is continuing into all aspects of this importation, including the ultimate destination of the drug.
Category: Calgary
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