Overview
- Mapo police discovered listings for Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning on the Karrot marketplace and asked the company to block sales, triggering a formal investigation this Thursday.
- South Korea’s National Forensic Service tested the product and detected poppy seeds with trace amounts of morphine and codeine, substances covered by the country’s Narcotics Control Act.
- Karrot removed public listings, added a “Transaction Restricted” warning for attempted sales, and says it is monitoring the platform for further transactions after the police request.
- Police warned that anyone who imports, sells, or buys the seasoning could face criminal punishment under Korean law, and customs have previously confiscated jars at Incheon airport.
- The case highlights how poppy seeds can pick up opiate residues during harvesting, how national drug rules differ from U.S. food standards, and that souvenir or resale demand can expose ordinary travelers and small sellers to legal risk.