CHP makes big drug arrest in Merced County. What is khat?
California Highway Patrol officers made a “significant” drug bust on Friday after stopping a vehicle on Highway 99 in Merced County.
CHP conducted a traffic stop on northbound Highway 99. During the stop, officers observed several indicators consistent with criminal activity, according to a CHP Merced Facebook post.
The driver consented to a search of the vehicle.
During the search, officers found about 150 pounds of khat, also known as qat, a stimulant classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in the U.S., the CHP said.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, khat is a flowering evergreen shrub used for its stimulant-like effect.
It is typically chewed like tobacco and can cause paranoia, hallucinations, hyperactivity and delusions, CHP said.
The driver admitted to selling khat, the CHP said, and was arrested for possession and transportation of a controlled substance.
