Taking khat out of New Zealand
Khat is a controlled substance in New Zealand — cathinone scheduling means there is no lawful personal export.
Details
Khat (Catha edulis) contains cathinone and cathine, which are scheduled substances in New Zealand under Misuse of Drugs Act 1975; Customs and Excise Act 2018 — fresh khat is treated as a controlled drug, so possession and export are offences. Khat found at departure screening is seized and the carrier prosecuted under the same framework as at arrival. The plant is a licit commodity only in a small number of producing countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen); everywhere in this site's coverage of this route, carrying it across the border is unlawful.
Quantity limits
Zero — controlled substance
The other direction
Bringing khat into New Zealand(prohibited)
Sources
VERIFIED · 2026-07-25Report a correction