'Plastic' or not? Over 100 bags of fake rice seized in Nigeria

[mfcorey1]

Last edited Sat Dec 24, 2016, 08:37 AM - Edit history (1)

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)Nigerian authorities have seized 2.5 metric tons of reportedly fake rice during the holiday season.

On Tuesday, the Nigerian Custom Service said it intercepted 102 bags of a brand called Best Tomato Rice after the recipient of a gift of rice alerted authorities. The health ministry released a statement on Friday urging Nigerians to remain calm after preliminary findings found no evidence that the rice was plastic or consisted of toxic chemical substances. Yet, the country's National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control has not released their investigative report.
The health minister's statement contradicts earlier reports from customs officials.
Mamudu Haruna, comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit, called it "plastic" rice at a press briefing in Lagos Thursday. "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."
Haruna described the importers of the fake rice as "economy saboteurs" seeking to capitalize off of Nigerians looking for bargains during the Christmas and New Year holiday season.
It is unclear where the shipment of rice originated. "A consultant said he was given 221 bags to distribute," Jerry Attah, the public relations officer for the assistant superintendent of customs, told CNN.
One customer who avoided a potential mishap was Kikelomo Adediti. She said she bought 10 cups of the product (about 2 kg) from a small retailer in the Ikeja area of Lagos, in November.
"It looked perfectly normal and cost less [than regular rice] so I thought I got a great deal. Normally it would take about 20 minutes [to cook] but after 30 minutes it was still hard. I added more water and the aroma was chemical in nature so I decided to discard it thinking it had expired," she told CNN. Adediti didn't formally report the incident.


http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/23/africa/nigeria-fake-plastic-rice/index.html

[baldguy]

1. Yeah, we don't overbearing bureaucracies like the FDA controlling our lives & stifling businesses.

[Vinca]

4. The guy up for head of the FDA wants to do away with drug trials.

Save money, turn the general population into guinea pigs.

[frankieallen]

5. What?? I haven't heard of this. can you provide a link?

[Vinca]

6. He says the FDA should make sure drugs are safe, but whether or not they are effective

should be on the manufacturer to prove. The guy is associated with the libertarian nut who wants to create his own country out in the ocean.

http://www.dddmag.com/article/2016/12/meet-trumps-possible-candidate-fda-commissioner

[Truth321]

2. There are so many people

That think Nothing of stealing and ripping people off. What happened to people's hearts?

[TexasProgresive]

3. It's why we have laws and regulations

Given the right circumstances many if not all of us are capable of larceny, dishonesty for gain and even murder. There's a saying, "Locks keep honest people honest." That can be expanded to laws and regulations that are properly enforced. People weigh the pros and cons before acting. If the cons (fines, imprisonment and/or paying out large settlements) outweighs the benefits we stay honest. Some of us are deeply honest but given the right circumstances all of us will fact the temptation to go against what we know is right. For some it is no contest.