Pubdate: Sat, 29 Sep 2007
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)
Copyright: 2007 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc
Contact:  http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/340
Author: Valerie Russ

COPS SEIZE SHIPMENT OF THE NARCOTIC KHAT, A FIRST IN PHILLY

Philadelphia police have made their first seizure of  the drug khat, a
narcotic plant that is popular in East  Africa and the Saudi Arabian
peninsula.

Undercover narcotics cops on Wednesday seized 740  pounds of khat that
was being delivered to an East  Falls address, said Lt. Frank Vanore,
a police  spokesman. The value of the drugs has been put at about
$148,000.

Vanore said it was the first seizure of khat  (pronounced COT) in
Philadelphia and perhaps the first  in the state. No arrests had been
made as of yesterday  afternoon.

The khat leaves and twigs that are routinely chewed as  part of
socializing with friends in places like Somalia  and Yemen were
wrapped in banana leaves and packaged in  boxes.

"It is not illegal in Europe or Africa; it's legalized  there," Vanore
said. "But here, we have it as a  Schedule 1 narcotic" - the same as
cocaine and heroin.

Narcotics Chief Inspector William Blackburn said the  khat is
typically found in places like Detroit,  Minneapolis, Dallas, Boston
and New York.

"According to intelligence reports, it's prevalent in  areas that have
large populations of people from  Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen,"
Blackburn said.

Blackburn said khat leaves are chewed like tobacco or  added to tea or
food products.

The drug produces an excitement and euphoria that is  similar to the
effects of cocaine or marijuana, and can  last anywhere from 90
minutes to 24 hours.

The side effects can also include hallucinations and  paranoia,
Blackburn said.

Khat, which is also spelled Qat or Kat, is a natural  drug that comes
from the Celastrus edulis plant. Khat  contains cathine
(d-norisoephedrine), cathidine and  cathinine. Cathine is also one of
the alkaloids found  in Ephedra vulgaris, according to Internet reports.

"We just want to make people aware of it," Vanore said.  "We don't
think it's being frequently used here now,  but our concern is that
it's very, very inexpensive and  it could become a problem."

He said it neither looks nor smells like marijuana. It  has a very
strong odor.

"It doesn't have a very good shelf life," Vanore said.  "Once it's out
for a certain period of time, it loses  its narcotic effect." *
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