4,000 pounds of khat seized at Atlanta airport, CBP says
ATLANTA - Federal authorities say they have seized more than 4,000 pounds of khat at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport since the beginning of the year.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the seizures happened during four separate enforcement actions involving international cargo and passengers. The khat has an estimated street value of approximately $500,000.
Khat found in cargo and luggage
What we know:
CBP officers intercepted khat in cargo shipments originating from India, the Netherlands and Nigeria.
Officers also found the drug concealed in luggage belonging to two U.S. citizens arriving on a flight from Paris.
CBP did not say whether anyone was arrested or charged in connection with the seizures.
What is khat?
Khat, sometimes called Abyssinian tea or African salad, is a plant containing the stimulants cathinone and cathine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies cathinone as a Schedule I controlled substance and cathine as a Schedule IV controlled substance. The DEA says khat can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety and agitation.
Khat seizures nationwide
What's next:
CBP seized approximately 46,000 pounds of khat nationwide during the 2025 fiscal year. Nearly 19,000 pounds were seized during the first 10 months of the current fiscal year.
CBP said the khat seized in Atlanta will be destroyed.