Federal officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have seized more than 4,000 pounds of khat in four enforcement actions this year, a haul valued at approximately $500,000.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the seizures Sept. 4, saying officers intercepted the plant in both international cargo and passenger luggage. Acting Atlanta Port Director Pedro Ortiz said officers are working “on the front lines every day” to stop illegal narcotics before they reach communities.
Cargo shipments containing khat originated in India, the Netherlands and Nigeria. Officers found the plant concealed in suitcases belonging to two U.S. citizens arriving in Atlanta on a flight from Paris. The agency did not disclose when each seizure occurred, how much was recovered in each operation or whether anyone was arrested or charged.
Khat, called Abyssinian tea or African salad, is a flowering shrub commonly chewed for its stimulant effects. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says it contains cathinone and cathine, two central nervous system stimulants. Cathinone is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, while cathine is listed under Schedule IV.
Users typically chew and retain the leaves in the cheek, although dried khat may be brewed into tea or made into a paste. A December 2025 DEA assessment says the drug can increase heart rate and blood pressure and cause insomnia, anxiety, agitation and loss of appetite. More serious effects may include delusions, breathing difficulties and cardiac complications.
The Atlanta seizures represent part of a broader national enforcement effort. CBP reported seizing approximately 46,000 pounds of khat during fiscal 2025 and nearly 19,000 pounds during the first 10 months of fiscal 2026.
Officials said all of the khat confiscated in Atlanta will be destroyed. CBP did not announce any arrests or charges connected to the four seizures.
