{
  "id": 857780,
  "title": "Gov't bans imported diet supplement TAWON LIAR after narcotic detected",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/govt-bans-imported-diet-supplement-tawon-liar-after-narcotic-detected",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-14T10:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/law-crime/20260814/govt-bans-imported-diet-supplement-tawon-liar-after-narcotic-detected"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Korea Customs Service have banned imported diet supplement TAWON LIAR after detecting the narcotic tapentadol in a shipment from France. This preemptive action aims to prevent narcotics from entering the country through e-commerce, a popular method for Korean consumers to purchase items directly from foreign retailers. Tapentadol, classified as a narcotic under Korea's Narcotics Control Act, inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin and can cause fatal respiratory depression. The substance was discovered by Incheon International Airport Customs analysis office during the examination of a TAWON LIAR shipment, prompting the ministry to designate tapentadol as a prohibited ingredient to halt its entry into the country.",
  "summary": "The Korean government has banned the import of a diet supplement called TAWON LIAR after a narcotic substance, tapentadol, was detected in the product. Tapentadol, a narcotic painkiller, is classified as a controlled substance under Korea's Narcotics Control Act and can cause severe respiratory depression, posing a significant health risk. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Customs Service took this precautionary measure to prevent narcotics from entering the country through the growing trend of consumers purchasing food products directly from overseas retailers and having them shipped into the country. The narcotic substance was discovered during the analysis of a shipment of TAWON LIAR originating from France at Incheon International Airport.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Gov't bans imported diet supplement TAWON LIAR after narcotic detected",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/govt-bans-imported-diet-supplement-tawon-liar-after-narcotic-detected-858667",
        "published": "2026-08-14T10:12:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}