Khat trapped Revenue seize €27,000 worth of illegal African chewing-hallucinogenic drug in Midlands

REVENUE have seized exotic drugs, native to the Horn of Africa, worth €27,000.

Revenue officers at Portlaoise Mails Centre seized the drugs yesterday following routine profiling.

Around 54kg of khat was seized by officers from a number of parcels originating from Ethiopia and Kenya. The parcels, some of which were declared as ‘clothing’, were destined for various addresses in Dublin City.

Khat is a stimulant with similar effects to amphetamine.

It comes from a leafy green plant of the same name, but is sometimes processed into a more concealable drug. The fresher the leaves, which are chewed over a number of hours, the stronger the effect.

The hallucinogenic drug has been illegal in Ireland since 1990, as it possesses psychologically-addictive qualities that can leave users feeling unable to cope without it.

Investigations are on-going following Revenue's seizure, with a view to dish out prosecutions.

These seizures are part of ongoing operations targeting drug smuggling by Revenue, which ask that businesses or members of the public who may have any information about smuggling them in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.