Familiar face in trouble again -- felony drug charges leveled
Apr. 5—A familiar face had another run-in with local law enforcement authorities, and now has more felony drug charges to go with others already pending against him.
According to information released by Sampson County Sheriff's officials, on Tuesday, the Sampson County Criminal Interdiction Team conducted a traffic stop on N.C. 24, reportedly for a motor vehicle violation near Hayne Stretch Road.
"During the stop, a Sheriff's Office K-9 was deployed for a free air scan, which resulted in a positive alert," a press release from the Sheriff's Office stated. "Deputies conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle and located four pounds of the Schedule I control substance, khat."
While lesser known, khat, or cathinone, is a stimulant drug and flowering plant native resembling leaves and twigs. It can be chewed and smoked. Also known as Abyssinian Tea, African Salad, Catha, Chat, Miraa or Quaadka, the drug can cause manic behavior and hallucinations, and is known for its euphoric effects. Consumption can also result in increased alertness and energy, notably hyperactivity, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The driver, Asem Mamoon Ahmed Yahya, 24, of 246 Caldwell Loop Road, Jacksonville, N.C., was taken into custody and charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule I controlled substance and maintaining a vehicle or dwelling and possession of drug paraphernalia. Yahya received $15,000 secured bond.
Sheriff's officials said Yahya also has pending charges for possession of khat from a traffic stop by The Criminal Interdiction Team in November 2022 on Interstate 40. No details on that previous arrest were available.
Contrary to its illegal status in the United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere, the production, sale, and consumption are legal in many African and the Middle East nations where its use is traditional for those cultures.
