A total number of 513 50-kilogramme bags of expired foreign parboiled rice, loaded in two separate Toyota Canter lorries, was intercepted by officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Kwara State.

Speaking with journalists while parading the seized items in Ilorin, on Tuesday, the coordinator of the Zone B operations of the Customs Service, codenamed, Strike Force, Hussein Olokooba, said that the duty paid value of the expired rice is N22,581,500 million.

Olokooba, who said that the interception and seizures were made possible on Monday, April 19, following intelligence gathering on activities of the economic saboteurs in the state, added that the smugglers were intercepted at Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani axis in Kwara State.

He said that no arrest was made as the smugglers evaded arrest, adding that the two vehicles had been forfeited.

The Customs boss also said that the expired rice had stayed for too long while being transported through the sea, added that the seized items are dangerous for human consumption.

The coordinator of the Customs Zone B operations in the North, comprising North East, North West and North Central also said that a large quantity of foreign parboiled rice yet to be loaded into vehicles was also intercepted.

He commended the resilience of the officers of the Customs, who he said, ensured that all the intercepted contraband items were evacuated to the command’s headquarters in Ilorin, despite attacks from smugglers.

The coordinator also said that the determination of officers in the Strike Force of the service helped to ensure that economic saboteurs were not allowed to operate freely.

Olokooba, who urged members of the general public to support the service in its mandate to making the country economically viable, advised those in the smuggling business to find alternative legal businesses to pursue.