Is khat catching on among seafood industry workers trying to stay awake while working long hours of overtime, joining a long list of more familiar stimulants from coffee to pharmaceutical amphetamines? Maybe.
Khat, a drug well known in east Africa, has likely made another appearance in Unalaska. On 30 June, 22 grams in a zippered plastic bag were turned in to the Unalaska Department of Public Safety, according to police chief Jamie Sunderland.
A suspect has been identified as possessing the substance, found in the area of the Unisea seafood processing plant, Sunderland said. The green leafy material has been sent to a laboratory to determine if it is in fact khat, he said. If confirmed, the suspect is expected to face criminal charges of about the same level as possession of marijuana, he said.
