Harboursandport.com: Lagos ---- By Oko Ebuka
In the fight to terminate
rice smuggling in Nigeria for local agricultural boost, the Federal Operating
Unit (FOU), Zone “A” of Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, have stressed that the
continuous smuggling of foreign parboiled rice into the country is seriously
affecting over 12.2 million local farmers in the country.
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| Imported rice being discharged from a ship |
This was revealed by the Customs
Area Controller, (CAC) of the unit, Mohammed Uba, who disclosed this at a press
briefing, stated that efforts have been made to curb this criminal act with
much improvement.
He also disclosed how
unhealthy foreign parboiled rice is because even the countries from where this
unwholesome food item is being imported from do not eat it but eat white rice
instead.
According to him, “Thailand
don’t eat parboiled rice, they only eat white rice, same as Benin Republic,
that’s why they see our country as a dumping ground. So, we are here to make
sure such goods do not come in our country.”
Mohammed confirmed that 1, 380 bags of foreign parboiled rice
(150kg) with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N18.3 million were
intercepted along with other goods. These goods include: 21 sacks of Pangolin
(1,031kg), 4 pieces of Elephant Tusks, 49 cartons of Tramadol
capsules (100mg), Indian Hemp (1, 610kg), 2, 748 cartons of DSP Codeine Cough
Syrup, 95 cartons of Chaka pain Xtra, 140 gallons of Vegetable Oil, 17
Exotic Vehicles, and 1,126 pieces of used shoes.
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