Nearly 214 pounds of an illegal stimulant called khat was seized by Customs and Border Protection Officers at Washington Dulles International Airport, officials said.
Officers found about $30,000 worth of the drug on Dec. 21 during a routine inspection of freight listed as wooden coffee tables. It's the largest seizure of khat at Dulles in more than two years, according to CBP officials.
Khat is a green, leafy plant that is typically grown in the Arabian Peninsula and is chewed for its stimulant effect.
The freight containing the drug was being shipped from a wood working company in Kenya to a furniture store in the District, and it came to Dulles on a flight from Qatar.
The substance was destroyed, but the U.S. Attorney's office has declined to file charges in the case. CBP spokesman Steve Sapp said that a lack of prosecution is not unusual in khat cases because the substance is only potent for about 48 hours after it is harvested and then it breaks down quickly.
