Edmonton police make Khat bust

A botched smuggling attempt has turned up Edmonton's first significant seizure of khat - a plant containing an amphetamine-like stimulant, police said yesterday.

Border agents first picked up on the suspicious cargo shipped to Edmonton from London's Heathrow Airport late last week, leading to a seizure by police on Friday afternoon at a hotel near 118 Avenue and 65 Street. The investigation turned up 135 kilograms of the drug worth about $50,000, police said. They've also charged two men in connection to the bust.