Two 23-year-old Haredi women from Israel’s Sharon region were arrested on Saturday night at Krakow airport in Poland after customs officials found 100 kilograms of khat in their suitcases. They were traveling from Israel to Frankfurt and were detained during a routine inspection on a connecting flight. According to the report, the khat was not hidden, it was packed openly in the luggage, with 50 kilograms in each suitcase.
Police recognized the contents immediately and arrested the two women. During questioning, each gave a different version of events. One told investigators, “I did not know khat was illegal. Whoever told me to carry it said everything was fine and it was legal.” The other said she had no idea what was in the suitcase and claimed, “I have no idea what was in the suitcase, only that my friend told me to come fly for a few days. We would travel and come back.”
The case highlights how criminal organizations in Israel are allegedly recruiting young Haredi men and women by promising that carrying khat is only a fineable offense. In return for airfare and a few thousand shekels for spending money, they are said to agree to transport the drug, then end up in foreign prisons. Khat is highly sought after in Europe, where smuggling it is treated as a serious drug offense, and criminal groups reportedly make millions from the trade.
Polish authorities ordered the women held for three months even before an indictment was filed. The women said they were questioned without a translator or a lawyer and were sent to a prison that once served as Gestapo headquarters. In the past, passengers could fly from Israel with khat, but former public security minister Gilad Erdan tightened the rules several years ago and banned it. It is still unclear whether the suitcases were missed in Israel or whether that restriction has expired. Attorney Nir Yislovich, who represents one of the women, said he is in contact with the relevant authorities, including prosecutors and consular officials, to protect his client’s rights.
