{"id":278567,"date":"2016-12-21T15:34:15","date_gmt":"2016-12-21T15:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=278567"},"modified":"2016-12-21T15:34:15","modified_gmt":"2016-12-21T15:34:15","slug":"plastic-rice-seized-in-nigeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/12\/plastic-rice-seized-in-nigeria\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Plastic rice’ seized in Nigeria"},"content":{"rendered":"
Nigeria has confiscated 2.5 tonnes of “plastic rice” smuggled into the country by unscrupulous businessmen, the customs service says.<\/p>\n
Lagos customs chief Haruna Mamudu said the fake rice was intended to be sold in markets during the festive season.<\/p>\n
He said the rice was very sticky after it was boiled and “only God knows what would have happened” if people ate it.<\/p>\n
It is not clear where the seized bags came from but rice made from plastic pellets was found in China last year.<\/p>\n
A total of 102 sacks, each containing 25kg, was seized.<\/p>\n
Investigations are under way to establish how much of the contraband has already been sold.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”GBYaZMKDwH5cpbapUo93BRm348IiGT82″]The customs official called on “economic saboteurs who see yuletide season as a peak period for their nefarious acts to desist from such illegal” business activity.<\/p>\n
Mr Mamudu did not explain how the plastic rice was made but said it had been branded as “Best Tomato Rice”.<\/p>\n