The National Agency For Food And Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) in Rivers state, has raided shops and markets in Port Harcourt, confiscating large quantities of empty fake bags of Big Bull Rice and other brands of food items suspect to be fake, used to imitate or adulterate the original brands.
One of the shops in YKC axis of Woji, Port Harcourt suspected to be where the fake bags of rice were supplied had large quantities of empty fake Big Bull bags of rice and other products including CAP Rice, stallion rice, tomato, mama pride etc.
A sales girl who gave her name as Ogechi Okafor was also arrested at the shop.
Other items recovered in the shop include sewing/ceiling machines, generator set, stove, thread and bags of already rebagged rice.
In a Press statement signed by Cyril Monye, Public Relations Officer NAFDAC South South zone “NAFDAC in collaboration with producers of BIG BULL rice raided shops and at Woji, Mile 3 and mile 1 markets in Port Harcourt where fake BIG BULL rice were been sold.
“One of the shops in YKC axis of Woji, Port Harcourt suspected to be where the fake rice are being supplied have large quantities of empty fake Big Bull bags of rice and CAP Rice, stallion rice, tomato, mama pride.
A sales girl who gave her name as Ogechi Okafor was also arrested at the shop”
According to the release the NAFDAC Coordinator in Rivers State, Pharm. Emmanuel Onogwu has advised the general public to beware of fake/rebagged rice been sold in to the public by some unscrupulous persons
Pharmacist, Onogwu advised the public to always look out for some distinctive features that distinguishes the original Big Bull products from the fake ones. The features includes; the shiny ribbon that run across the threaded top, high quality of the bag, logo etc, he added that rebagged rice are from questionable sources and they are polished with chemicals to look attractive which can lead to health challenges”.
More than 120 fake bags of rice from more than ten shops and other items recovered in the shop include sewing/ceiling machines, generator set, stove, thread and bags of already rebagged rice were evacuated to NAFDAC Zonal office” the statement concluded.
