![Trader Joe's "Everything But The Bagel Sesame" seasoning. The product has been banned from import and distribution in South Korea after narcotics were detected in it, yet completed-transaction posts continued to appear on Karrot until recently. Police intercepted the transactions and had them blocked. [Provided by Seoul Mapo Police Station]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/04/news-p.v1.20260804.f86d9d08f9fe4e24b31102bf3ae9171c_P1.png)
Police have moved to block online sales of a foreign seasoning banned from import in South Korea because it contains poppy seeds, after the product was found being openly traded on a secondhand platform.
Seoul's Mapo Police Station confirmed Tuesday that Trader Joe's "Everything But The Bagel Sesame" seasoning had been changing hands on an online secondhand platform and said it had the listings blocked.
The product had once been widely promoted on SNS and online communities as a must-buy souvenir from trips to the United States.
The seasoning contains poppy seeds, making its import and domestic distribution illegal under South Korean law. Analysis by the National Forensic Service found trace amounts of morphine and codeine — both controlled substances — in the poppy seeds. Anyone who sells or buys the product can face criminal charges under the Narcotics Control Act.
On the secondhand platform Karrot, a 65-gram bottle was found to have been trading for between 4,000 and 8,000 won per unit.
According to police, some of those who traded the product had bought it abroad without knowing it contained narcotics and later sold what they had left over, but investigators also found cases where sellers knowingly traded the banned item.
Police have booked some of the buyers and sellers on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act and are continuing their investigation.
Since July 27, posts related to the product have been blocked from appearing on the secondhand platform. When someone attempts to list the item for sale, a pop-up notification now appears informing them that the transaction is restricted.
"There are cases where products sold as ordinary food abroad are banned from import and distribution under domestic law," a police official said. "Both sellers and buyers can face criminal punishment for distributing products that violate the Narcotics Control Act."
Under the current Narcotics Control Act, illegally possessing or importing poppy seeds carries a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won ($35,000).
kido@heraldcorp.com
