A 22-year-old Israeli citizen was detained on Monday at Rome's Fiumicino Airport after, according to suspicion, 216 kilograms of the khat plant were found hidden in seven suitcases in his luggage.
In Yemen and Israel, khat is not defined as a dangerous drug, but it is in Italy and most countries around the world, and Italian authorities classify owning it as a drug possession and trafficking offense.
The seizure took place at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino International Airport in a joint operation by Italy's Customs and Finance Police unit, the Guardia di Finanza, and the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM).
According to the authorities' statement, the young man, who had arrived on a flight from Tel Aviv, aroused suspicion at passport control after giving vague and contradictory answers about the purpose of his visit to Italy and where he planned to stay. He was then taken for a more thorough inspection, which included scanning the suitcases with an X-ray machine and opening them.
During the inspection, large packages of fresh khat leaves and stalks were found in his seven suitcases, with a total weight of 216 kilograms. The entire shipment is now being held as evidence as part of the investigation.
The authorities said the young man was not arrested, but was released at the end of the initial questioning. However, a criminal case has been opened against him and transferred to prosecutors in Civitavecchia. He is suspected of offenses of possession and trafficking of drugs under Italian narcotics law.
Khat is illegal in Europe, but permitted in Israel
Khat is a stimulant plant native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. While its sale and use are permitted in Israel, in Italy and many European Union countries it is classified as an illegal drug, and bringing commercial quantities of it into the country is therefore a criminal offense.
According to estimates on the European black market, the value of the seized quantity could reach tens of thousands of euros. The value of khat as a drug depends mainly on how fresh it is, since it loses its effect relatively quickly.
The seizure adds to a series of cases in recent years in which Israelis have run into trouble in European countries over smuggling khat, a product that is legal in Israel but banned in destination countries.