Sentence adjourned in Somali 'khat' case

A Somali refugee who brought an African drug called 'khat' from London, where it is legal, to Ireland, where it is illegal, has had his sentence adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

A Somali refugee who brought an African drug called 'khat' from London, where it is legal, to Ireland, where it is illegal, has had his sentence adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Mohamed Ibrahim (aged 26) had travelled to England on a garda immigration pass when found to have the drug on November 30, 2006 at Dublin Airport.

Garda Ronan Darcy told prosecuting counsel, Mr Seán Gillane BL, that Ibrahim said it was "salad" after a customs officer spotted a large quantity of vegetation in his case through the x-ray.

"It's a plant-like substance that Somalians and Kenyans take as a social drug and it is legal in the UK," Gda Darcy said.

Gda Darcy said 'khat' comprised plant stalks with leaves still attached, packaged in bundles, and wrapped and tied in vegetation. It had a shelf life of 48 hours and gardaí valued Ibrahim's 'khat' at €6,000.

"He said a friend gave it to him in London and he didn't know it was illegal in Ireland," Gda Darcy told Mr Gillane. "He said he was going to share it among the Somalian community here and that it was not for sale."

Ibrahim had been in Ireland for four years at the time and was returning from a day trip to London, where he had met family and friends. He had no previous convictions and had not come to garda attention since.

Ibrahim, of Phoenix View, James' Street, Dublin 8 pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of 'khat'.

Gda Darcy agreed with Ms Anne Marie Lawlor BL, defending, that Ibrahim was fully cooperative and that 'salad' was a colloquial name for 'khat'. He accepted that its official garda valuation was much higher than what it would change hands for in the UK, and Ibrahim was planning to just share it with family and friends.

Judge Frank O'Donnell said it sounded 'strange' that someone here as a refugee on social welfare could hop on a plane for a day and get this drug.

"I have serious reservations that he was just distributing €6,000 of this for gratis," Judge O'Donnell noted and remanded Ibrahim on continuing bail for preparation of a probation report. He also asked Gda Darcy to check out Ibrahim's travelling habits.

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