East African drug found on South Coast for first time

Police confiscated 104 bundles of the drug, each containing 106 stems.

Port Shepstone police have arrested two men for being in possession of an East African drug known as khat, reports the South Coast Herald.

This is believed to be the first find of this particular drug on the South Coast.

Two men, aged 38 and 29, both from an East African country, were arrested in the lower Albersville area on Tuesday morning.

The plant was transported in big bags. Picture: South Coast Herald

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Zandra Wiid from the Ugu cluster office, Warrant Officer Johan Terreblanche from the Port Shepstone K9 unit and officers from Port Shepstone Crime Intelligence section were investigating another matter when they saw a silver car with ND registration plates crossing the Batstone’s Drift low level bridge.

“The two men in the vehicle appeared suspicious, and the vehicle was stopped. Police searched the vehicle and found three plastic bags containing the bundles of khat,” said Wiid.

Police confiscated 104 bundles of the drug, each containing 106 stems.

According to Wikipedia, khat is originally from East Africa and contains two stimulants, cathinone and cathine. The plant is normally chewed or smoked.