Pesticide-Contaminated Drinks Sold at Two Department Stores... Illegally Imported Tea Bags Found Containing Residues

Illegally Imported from Taiwan and Sold at Two Department Store Cafes
Pesticide "Dinotefuran" Detected Above Permissible Levels

The owner of a company that illegally imported and sold Taiwanese oolong tea and black tea at a cafe located in a well-known domestic department store has been caught. The total number of tea and beverage servings sold using the illegal products reached 15,890. Pesticide levels exceeding the standard were detected in the oolong tea collected from the store.

The owner of a company that illegally imported and sold Taiwanese oolong tea and black tea at a cafe located in a well-known domestic department store was caught. Pesticide levels exceeding the standard were detected in the oolong tea collected from the store. Getty Images

According to Yonhap News and other sources, on February 11, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it had referred the representative of Company A to the prosecution on charges of violating the Special Act on the Safety Management of Imported Food and the Food Sanitation Act. The charges stem from importing oolong tea, black tea, and other products from Taiwan without declaring them and then preparing and selling them at a cafe located in a well-known department store.

In August last year, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety received information regarding the illegal sale of imported tea and launched an investigation. The investigation revealed that from March last year, for about two months, the representative of Company A illegally brought in oolong tea and black tea in tea bag form from Taiwan via international mail (EMS) and other methods.

To evade crackdowns by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and other relevant agencies, the representative of Company A was also found to have fabricated Korean labeling and attached it to the products to make them appear as if they had been legally imported.

Oolong tea not declared for import. Provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

Furthermore, from April to September of the same year, for about five months, the representative used these undeclared products to prepare and sell tea and beverages at two cafes located in a well-known department store. The total number of tea and beverage servings sold in this manner reached 15,890, amounting to approximately 80 million won.

In particular, the oolong tea collected during the on-site investigation by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety was found to contain pesticide residues exceeding the permissible limit. The detected substance, dinotefuran, is a type of insecticide that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and dizziness in cases of acute poisoning, requiring special caution in handling.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated that all illegal products discovered during the on-site investigation and seizure were disposed of to prevent further distribution and sale. The ministry also requested the relevant authorities to take administrative action against the violating company.

A representative from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said, "We will continue to strengthen thorough supervision and investigations to completely block the illegal import and distribution of food, and we will take strict action against violations. We are committed to ensuring that the public can safely and confidently consume food products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.