(ALBION) - A drug rarely encountered in northeast Indiana is at the center of a felony case filed this week in Noble County.
The Star newspaper reports Kendallville Police seized more than 10 pounds of khat during a traffic stop Saturday night and arrested 41-year-old Mohamed M. Sowaileh of Indianapolis.
The Noble County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Sowaileh Monday with dealing in a Schedule IV controlled substance, a Level 3 felony, and possession of a Schedule I through IV controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor.
He has not been convicted, and the case remains pending.
Khat is an evergreen shrub native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Its leaves and young shoots are commonly chewed, with users holding the plant material in the cheek to release stimulant chemicals.
The plant contains cathinone and cathine, which affect the central nervous system. The Drug Enforcement Administration compares khat's effects to those of amphetamine and other stimulants. Users may experience increased alertness, energy and excitement, along with elevated blood pressure, insomnia and loss of appetite.
Khat's legal status depends on the controlled chemicals present in the plant. Fresh khat generally contains more cathinone, a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. As the plant ages, cathinone breaks down and cathine, a Schedule IV substance, becomes more prominent. That distinction can affect how a case is charged, but neither substance is treated as an ordinary legal plant product.
A Level 3 felony conviction in Indiana carries a possible prison sentence of three to 16 years.
Noble Circuit Court Judge Christopher Jansen set Sowaileh's bond at $10,000. A hearing on whether he has hired an attorney is scheduled for Aug. 3, followed by a pretrial conference Sept. 21.