Two Israeli women were arrested last Friday at Krakow airport in Poland after allegedly trying to smuggle 50 kilograms of khat, a plant treated as an illegal drug in Poland. The suspects were reported as Haredi women aged 23 and 24, and they had arrived on a flight from Israel, according to Ynet.
The article says there is strong demand for khat in Europe, and that some people in Israel recruit young Israelis, usually from the Haredi community, to carry it abroad in exchange for an airline ticket and 5,000 shekels. Recruiters allegedly tell them that if they are caught, they will only face a small fine or have their luggage confiscated.
Jewish community representatives in the Czech Republic said the practice is dangerous and causes a major “chilul Hashem,” or desecration of God’s name. They warned that young Haredi travelers, including women with suitcases full of khat, are sometimes arrested and can face severe punishment. “Sometimes they are lucky and the judge believes them that it is their first time, and they did not know it was forbidden, and they thought it was allowed because khat is legal in Israel,” one source said. “But many times young Haredim are in European prisons for a very long time.”
The Jewish communities in the Czech Republic urged Haredi Israelis not to be tempted into taking khat abroad, saying it is illegal, harms Jewish communities, and damages Jews in other European countries. They said innocent Haredim continue to fall into the trap, lured by smugglers who know the risks but promise them a trip or cash, while the youths do not understand how dangerous the act is.
