Friday March 21, 2025

Vehicles are seen outside the entrance to Newcastle International Airport in this file photo. The airport was recently the scene of a drug seizure involving approximately £18,000 worth of smuggled khat. CREDIT/ NGI

LONDON, UK (HOL)  — A London man was given a suspended sentence after customs officers discovered approximately £18,000 worth of khat in his luggage at Newcastle International Airport.

Ahmed Hirsi, 46, pleaded guilty to importing illicit substances after his arrest on Oct. 11, 2023. Customs officers stopped Hirsi upon his arrival from Dubai due to suspicion raised by his extensive luggage. He initially departed from Johannesburg, South Africa, claiming he was returning from a holiday.

Authorities seized 61 kilograms (around 134 pounds) of khat—a flowering plant native to East Africa classified as a Class C drug in the United Kingdom. Khat, illegal to import, is known for causing mild euphoria, excitement, and decreased appetite. The street value of the seized khat was estimated at £18,390.

During sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court, Recorder Thomas Moran rejected Hirsi’s claims that the khat was for personal use and his assertions of ignorance regarding its illegality in the UK. Moran suggested that Hirsi was recruited by criminals targeting vulnerable individuals facing financial hardship or health issues.

Hirsi, originally from Somalia, has lived in the UK for 21 years and currently resides in Neasden, London. He receives roughly £36,000 annually in government benefits due to a hip injury, with his one-bedroom apartment costs covered by public funds. His partner and five children remain in Somalia.

Hirsi was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for one year. He was also placed under an electronically monitored curfew, requiring him to stay home daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for six months. Additionally, he must pay prosecution costs totalling £150.