Did you know that poppy seeds have landed people in jail? Because the poppy seeds are derived from the opium poppy plant and contain opiates, the poppy seed has been banned in Singapore, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2013 a 45 year old actually landed in an UAE jail for four years due to possessing 102 grams of the seed. After his sentence, he was scheduled to be deported.