The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it has blocked the entry of 22 products sold through overseas shopping sites after testing revealed the presence of drug components, including THC, mesembrine, and mitragynine, in items such as gummies and beverages.
This inspection was the first conducted under the revised Special Act on the Safety Management of Imported Foods, which provided a legal basis for such checks. The ministry focused on online shopping sites from countries where cannabis use is legal and on products suspected of containing drugs, selecting and purchasing 32 items for testing based on their labeling and advertising that included terms like 'Cannabis,' 'Hemp,' and 'Kanna.'
The analysis examined 55 types of drug components, including cannabis, amphetamines, mesembrine, and mitragynine, while also verifying the labeling of 312 substances that are prohibited for import.
Of the 32 products tested, 22 were found to contain cannabis and 11 types of drugs, including the controlled substance mitragynine and the temporary drug mesembrine. Some products also contained the pharmaceutical components theobromine, L-DOPA, muira puama, and the prohibited ingredient catuaba, as indicated on their labels.
Notably, among the 12 products that used kanna as an ingredient, 9 tested positive for the temporary drug mesembrine. The ministry explained that it prioritized mesembrine for testing after confirming its presence in dietary supplements through overseas safety information last year and developed an analysis method for this inspection.
The products identified with drug components were primarily dietary supplements, gummies, and beverages. The ministry cautioned that consumers might mistakenly consume gummies and beverages, which could be perceived as regular food items.
Additionally, most of the products that tested positive for drugs did not indicate their country of manufacture or manufacturer, suggesting they may have been produced and distributed illegally.
The ministry has requested the Korea Customs Service to withhold customs clearance for the products containing drug components, asked the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block access to online sales sites, and requested the National Institute of Technology and Standards to prevent the sale of hazardous products. Furthermore, it has published information about the products, including names, manufacturers, hazardous components, and photos, on the 'Imported Foods Correctly' website. This service aims to provide safety information about imported foods containing hazardous components to prevent consumer harm.
Moreover, the ministry emphasized that consumers should not purchase products registered as hazardous imported foods and should not sell or use purchased products for business purposes.
The ministry warned that importing or consuming imported foods containing cannabis and other drugs could result in penalties under the Narcotics Control Act and stated that it will continue regular inspections under the Imported Food Act and provide information on hazardous imported foods to prevent consumer harm.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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