Khat Seized From West Nashville Home, Woman Arrested

NASHVILLE, TN — Metro Police arrested a 47-year-old woman after allegedly discovering nearly 200 pounds of khat in a home in West Nashville.

Detectives say Zemzem Seraj accepted a package of khat weighing approximately 60 pounds at her home on Running Brook Road. When police executed a search warrant, they allegedly discovered an additional 130 pounds of khat and $9,150 cash. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

Khat, a Schedule I drug, is a stimulant derived from a shrub that is native to East Africa and southern Arabia. The plant's leaves are typically chewed to release stimulant chemicals.

Seraj is charged with felony khat possession and tampering with evidence. She is being held in lieu of $160,000 bond.

Images via MNPD