A detection dog demonstrates its skills during an anti-drug event held at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, July 25, 2023. Korea Times photo by Ha Sang-yoon

Korea's customs agency said Wednesday it has detected a new type of synthetic drug for the first time in an international parcel from France.

The compound, identified as 4-Benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, shares similarities with Mescaline, a psychedelic substance commonly used as a party drug, according to the Korea Customs Service.

The agency said a chemical structure analysis confirmed that it is a new synthetic drug reported for the first time in the world.

Authorities said they have discovered the compound in an unidentified powder during routine inspections.

Mescaline is a natural psychedelic derived from the Mexican peyote cactus and the San Pedro cactus, native to Peru and Ecuador. It induces hallucinogenic effects similar to those of LSD and magic mushrooms. (Yonhap)