ibironkeeniola 
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Command has seized 33 containers of expired rice and other contraband in Apapa, Lagos. According to reports, the impounded items were imported from Thailand and China into the country.
Other items seized include eleven containers of unregistered pharmaceutical products, two containers of used tyres, one container of used clothing, and four containers of refined vegetable oil in retail packs, with paid value of about N2.7 billion.
Comptroller General of NCS, Hameed Ali disclosed to the newsmen in Lagos that the items were intercepted due to the partial border closure, adding that “one significant finding about this seizure is that all the rice are expired or about to expire.”
He further stated, “Also remarkable is the seizure of tramadol variants and unregistered performance-enhancing drugs among the pharmaceuticals. Recall that in the past, the Service has raised alarm and drew the attention of the public to the fact that most of the imported rice is expired.
“The service had also in the past, highlighted the dangers of the use of Tramadol and had similarly seized and kick-started the destruction of over N14billion of Tramadol recently.”
Prior to this, NCS officials on Tuesday intercepted five containers of rotten fish and other edible items, discovered in a terminal at the Apapa area.
Comptroller Ali said that the containers seized contravened the provisions of Customs and Excise Management Act Cap C45 LFN 2004 Section 46 and 161.
“There is no doubt that those who imported these dangerous items do not wish us well. Imagine if they had succeeded in getting the expired rice in and then re-bagged and changed the expiration date for Nigerians to consume,” the NCS Boss said.
SOURCE: AGRONIGERIA