NYC man charged after 65 pounds of khat seized at Dulles airport

NYC man charged after 65 pounds of khat seized at Dulles airport

A New York City man is facing felony drug charges after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said they found 65 pounds of khat in his luggage at Washington Dulles International Airport on Wednesday night.

Arrest and charges

Officers referred Wally to a secondary inspection Wednesday night after he arrived on a flight from Casablanca, Morocco.

During the inspection, officers said they found bags containing a dried organic substance in his checked baggage.

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The khat weighed about 65 pounds and 4 ounces and had an estimated street value of $8,000.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police took Wally into custody after CBP officers seized the drugs.

Charges and court proceedings

Bakari Wally, 24, of the Bronx, was arrested Thursday morning and charged with possession with intent to distribute and transporting a controlled substance into Virginia, according to CBP.

Travelers who smuggle illegal products to the United States will quickly learn that Customs and Border Protection will find it and we will work with our law enforcement partners to pursue severe consequences, including felony criminal charges as this traveler is facing,” said CBP Area Port Director Christine Waugh, Area Port of Washington, D.C., via a press release.