Mumbai: 14.970 kg of banned Khat leaf seized, one arrested

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The CSMI's Air Intelligence Unit had apprehended an alleged accused for carrying 14.970 kg of Khat leaf.

Khat is a flowering plant mainly found in Africa and Yemen region, the leaves have stimulants and are consumed by chewing dried leaves. The WHO had tagged this drug as "Drug of Abuse" in 1980. It was banned in India in 2017 and was brought under the NDPS Act in 2018.

According to the police, the alleged accused had landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on November 7 from Aden (Yemenia). Upon scanning his bag the police found "green leaves" and the police suspected it to be the banned leaves.

When the police scanned the alleged accused red coloured trolley bag, they found a large rectangular-shaped box which was made with the help of aluminum foil, the accused had carried Khat leaves in the box.

The accused was identified as Yahya Mohammad Kassem (33), he originally hails from Chicago, United States of America and he was arrested on October 8.

"The Customs officer asked the said respondent to tender a voluntary statement, wherein he accepted that the said Red coloured trolley bag was handed over to the respondent by another person who had requested him to carry the bag to Mumbai. Further investigation is in progress," the AIU said in its statement to the Esplanade Court while seeking a 14 day custody of Yahya Kassem.

Yahya Kassem was booked under the relevant sections of the NDPS Act.