Israeli sentenced to two years in French prison for khat smuggling

The Department of Israelis Abroad in the Foreign Office Consular Division is now handling more than 100 cases of Israeli detention in Europe over the past year for the smuggling of Khat.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Ali Abdi, 14, and his friend Abdulahi Yaroow, 13, chew khat in Mogadishu August 10, 2014. Grown on plantations in the highlands of Kenya and Ethiopia, tonnes of khat, or qat, dubbed "the flower of paradise" by its users, are flown daily into Mogadishu airport, to be distributed from there in convoys (photo credit: REUTERS/FEISAL OMAR)
Ali Abdi, 14, and his friend Abdulahi Yaroow, 13, chew khat in Mogadishu August 10, 2014. Grown on plantations in the highlands of Kenya and Ethiopia, tonnes of khat, or qat, dubbed "the flower of paradise" by its users, are flown daily into Mogadishu airport, to be distributed from there in convoys
(photo credit: REUTERS/FEISAL OMAR)
An Israeli was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison and a fine of € 14,000 for smuggling khat.
The man, 20-years-old, was arrested a week ago at a Paris airport for attempting to smuggle 40 kilograms of "khat" - a coca-like psychoactive stimulant native to Africa and the Middle East. He was sentenced Wednesday.
 
The Department of Israelis Abroad in the Foreign Office Consular Division is now handling more than 100 cases of Israeli detention in Europe over the past year for the smuggling of Khat.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said that, "the punishments in Europe for Khat smugglers are getting harsher every day and many young people are" finding themselves in long-term detention facilities abroad.
"The Foreign Ministry again warns young people and their families not to be tempted to propositions to smuggle khat into Europe, where it is illegal and considered a dangerous drug," the spokesperson added
Translated by Idan Zonshine from Maariv Online.




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