The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that an inspection of overseas direct-purchase foods for narcotic ingredients detected substances such as THC, a component of cannabis, in 22 products.
The ministry stated that 11 other types of narcotic ingredients, including mitragynine and mesembrine, were also detected, and measures have been taken to block their import into South Korea.
This inspection was conducted for the first time after a legal basis was established through an amendment to the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety directly selected 32 products, including those from online shopping malls in countries where the use of cannabis is legal and products suspected of containing narcotics, to conduct the inspection.
As a result of the inspection, out of 12 products using kanna as an ingredient, mesembrine, a temporary narcotic substance, was detected in 9 products.
In addition, pharmaceutical ingredients such as theobromine, L-dopa, and muira puama, as well as catuaba, an ingredient prohibited for use, were confirmed in some products.
The products confirmed to contain narcotics included 9 dietary supplements, 6 jellies, 5 beverages, and 1 each of chocolates and cookies. In particular, the jellies and beverages carried a high risk of being mistaken for general food items and consumed.
Notably, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety determined that 15 of the products containing narcotic ingredients did not indicate their manufacturing country or manufacturer, raising the possibility that they were illegally manufactured and distributed.
The ministry requested the Korea Customs Service to withhold customs clearance for these products and asked the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block access to the online sales sites.
It also disclosed related information on the "Allbaro for Imported Food" website so that consumers can directly check the products.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety emphasized that bringing overseas direct-purchase foods containing cannabis or other narcotics into South Korea or consuming them can be subject to punishment under the Narcotics Control Act.
Reported by Park Seyong | Video by Lee Jae-young | Video Editing by Lee Hong-myung | Produced by SBS Digital News
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