The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Ikeja, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 102 bags of plastic rice branded “Beat Tomato Rice’’ with no date of manufacture.
The Customs Area Comptroller, Mohammed Haruna, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, said that the commodity was stored for distribution as Christmas gift to members of the public.
Mohammed Haruna said that officers of the unit intercepted the plastic rice along Ikeja area on Monday, and that a suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Before now, I thought it was a rumour that the plastic rice is all over the country but with this seizure, I have been totally convinced that such rice exists. We have done the preliminary analysis on the plastic rice. After boiling, it was sticky and only God knows what would have happened if people consumed it.
“I advise those economic saboteurs who see yuletide season as a peak period for nefarious acts to desist from such illegal business.
“The unit has decided other operational modalities that will make them run for their monies and count their losses.”
Mohammed Haruna appreciated well-meaning Nigerians who provided the service with prompt information that led to the discovery of the bags of plastic rice even as he advised the media to educate the public on the existence of plastic rice, which he said is no longer a rumour.
He assured the public that the distribution point of the particular plastic rice seized by the unit had been blocked with immediate effect, saying that investigation is still ongoing.
The controller said the unit would hand over the plastic rice to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for proper investigation. [myad]
