Czech customs officers seize record 800-kilograms of Kratom intended for illegal distribution

Customs officers in Brno seized 800 kilograms of kratom intended for illegal distribution last week, the largest such seizure in Czech history, customs spokeswoman Martina Kaňková said.

Kratom is classified in the Czech Republic as a low-risk psychomodulatory substance and can be legally purchased by adults from licensed retailers. According to the Health Ministry, about 100 businesses hold licenses to sell it.

Kratom use is rising in the country, with several percent of adults and more than one in ten young people reporting experience with the substance.

The Czech Republic imported a record 490 tons of kratom last year, 134 tons more than in the previous year.