Customs sieze over 100 bags of plastic rice in Lagos

Nigerian Customs Service has seized over 100 bags of plastic rice smuggled into the country intended to be sold during the yuletide season.

The guardian.com reports that a suspect has been arrested over the haul of 102bags of the fake rice which officials warned is dangerous for human consumption.

Plastic rice

The plastic rice stored in 50kg bags,branded "Best Tomato Rice" had no date of manufacture and were intercepted on Monday in the ikeja area of the Lagos,a senior customs official said on condition of anonymity.

They are suspected to have been smuggled or illegally chipped in from China through Lagos port.

Experts have condemned this development stating that the consumption of plastic rice is poisonous and can result in cancer or death.

“Plastic rice, simply put, is artificial, synthetic or fake rice-like granules which are made from sheet of plastics. They are toxic and inorganic materials and have grave health implications.

“Its implications are mostly health related complications including cancer or death depending on the volume consumed by the individual. They are poisonous and synthetic materials which do not have any metabolic relationship with the metabolic system of humans.”-Olawale Ilesanmi,an agri-business consultant