Pro Tip: Don’t Bring Trader Joe’s Seasoning Into South Korea
If you want to stay on the good side of South Korean customs officials, you best not be bringing any Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel seasoning into the country. Agents are reportedly cracking down on people bringing the product into their country, as it’s been placed on the “banned items” list by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The reason – poppy seeds. South Korea considers poppy seeds a narcotic “thanks to the role it plays in the production of opiates.” If you’re one of the unfortunate souls discovered with poppy seeds you could be subject to a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to $36K. If you have the Trader Joe’s seasoning, however, you’ll likely just have it confiscated, but consider yourself warned.
Source: Washington Post