Pubdate: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2008 The Edmonton Journal Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Trish Audette QAT DRUG BUST BIGGEST EVER FOR CITY POLICE Tip About Shipment Of Mild Narcotic Came From Border Services Agents At Airport EDMONTON - Police made their first major qat bust last week, seizing almost as much of the leafy drug as was collected in 16 separate seizures at Edmonton International Airport in 2007. Officers, tipped last week by the Canada Border Services Agency, intercepted the drug at a hotel near 118th Avenue and 65th Street. "The destination for the delivery was a hotel suite," said police spokeswoman Karen Carlson. When chewed, qat is a mild narcotic. The plant is common in the Middle East and eastern Africa, and the leaves are best when fresh. They typically have a shelf life of 48 hours, said border services spokeswoman Lisa White, so the drug is often shipped frozen. In this case, the 135 kilograms of qat leaves were fresh. White did not say where the cargo came from. "We're the frontline of defence. We stop goods (or) people from coming into the country that are inadmissible," White said, which means air cargo and commercial shipments are checked. "This is not uncommon for us; we seize qat all the time." In 2007, 140 kilograms of qat were seized at the Edmonton airport. There were 60 busts at the Calgary International Airport, where 576 kilograms of qat were seized. White said border services agents come across the drug more now than they did a few years ago. In many countries, qat is not illegal. Carlson said small amounts of qat have been seized on Edmonton's streets, but Friday's bust was "the first of its kind in the city." In the past, Edmonton police gang unit officers have described how Sudanese gangs get involved in trafficking cocaine and qat. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek