Nigeria has seized over 100 bags of plastic rice smuggled into the country, where prices of the staple food are skyrocketing ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
[...] The rice is suspected of having been smuggled or illegally shipped in from China through Lagos port, a senior customs official in Nigeria's commercial hub told AFP.
The 50-kilo bags branded "Best Tomato Rice," had no date of manufacture and were intercepted Monday in the Ikeja area of the sprawling city, the official said on condition of anonymity.
"We have done a preliminary analysis of the plastic rice. After boiling, it was sticky and only God knows what would have happened if people consumed it," Ikeja area customs controller Mohammed Haruna was quoted as saying.
Nigeria has banned rice imports as it seeks to boost local production.
Source: teleSUR
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 24 2016, @02:35PM
Or it could be propaganda in support of the rice importation ban mentioned -- spread belief that smugglers are bringing in toxic plastic rice, decrease the market for smuggled rice.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by jmorris on Saturday December 24 2016, @05:22PM
You aren't cynical enough. Better still to import it yourself, get it into distribution and let a few people die, after all they were dealing with smugglers and were scum anyway. Then make sure it gets plenty of local media coverage.
Not the worst thing a government has done. After all the U.S. government poisoned bootleg booze during prohibition to create a media frenzy about the danger of drinking the "dangerous stuff made under uncontrolled conditions".
Don't believe me, Google it for yourself. But you can start here:
The Chemist's War [slate.com]