South Korea blocks 22 overseas direct-purchase food products found to contain cannabis, narcotics

South Korean authorities moved to block a wave of overseas direct-purchase food products after inspections found widespread contamination with cannabis compounds and other controlled substances.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Wednesday it had conducted targeted inspections of overseas online shopping platforms — including those operating in countries where cannabis is legal — and sites suspected of selling narcotics-laced products. Of 32 items purchased and tested, 22 contained 11 types of controlled substances, including cannabis compounds such as THC, as well as mitragynine and mesembrine.

The inspections mark the first enforcement action carried out under a revised Special Act on Import Food Safety Management that took effect this year, giving authorities an explicit legal basis to target overseas direct-purchase food products suspected of containing controlled substances.

Inspectors selected the 32 products for purchase based on labeling and advertising that featured keywords or imagery associated with "Cannabis," "Hemp" or "Kanna," then analyzed each item for 55 types of controlled substances and other ingredients banned from import.

Of the 32 products tested, 22 — or 68.8 percent — tested positive for controlled substances. Nine of the 12 products listing kanna as an ingredient contained mesembrine, a temporarily designated controlled substance. The ministry said it had first obtained overseas safety alerts about mesembrine last year, designated it a priority substance for import blocking and developed a new analytical method applied in these inspections. Inspectors also detected mitragynine, an addictive and hallucinogenic narcotic; theobromine and L-DOPA, both prescription pharmaceutical ingredients; and catuaba, a prohibited ingredient.

By product type, the 22 flagged items comprised dietary supplements (9), jellies (6), beverages (5), chocolate (1) and a Dubai Chewy Cookie (1). Authorities warned that jellies and beverages pose a particular risk because consumers may mistake them for ordinary food. Fifteen of the 22 products carried no information identifying their country or company of manufacture, raising the likelihood that they were produced and distributed illegally.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety asked the Korea Customs Service to place holds on the 22 products at the border, requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission block access to the online sales sites, and asked the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards to suspend their sale. The ministry also immediately published the product names, photographs and details of the harmful substances detected on its overseas direct-purchase food information portal so consumers can check them directly.

"Bringing into the country or consuming overseas direct-purchase food products containing cannabis or other controlled substances can result in criminal punishment under the Act on the Management of Narcotics," a ministry official said, urging consumers to check the portal for blocked ingredients before making any overseas direct purchase.