Estonian Busted for Khat in Norway
Norwegian police yesterday arrested a 22-year-old Estonian national after finding from the trunk of his car 210 kilograms of khat, a prohibited natural mild stimulant that produces effects similar to caffeine.
Norwegian customs confiscated 6.5 tons of khat in the first half of this year, reported the Norwegian news agency NTB.
The chewable plant, native to East Africa, is mostly used in Norway by Somali immigrants, at social gatherings. Taken in excess the drug is said to cause health and social issues.
Khat is illegal in most of the EU. The Netherlands, a major source of the drug for Norway, banned the drug last year, and the UK recently announced it intends to outlaw it this year, to avoid the risk of becoming a supply hub. The khat industry is fighting the decision.