The Singapore customs seized more than 5,000 bags of counterfeit rice imported from India on Friday (Nov 25). The infringement was reported to the authorities by the owner of the Singapore-registered trademark.
The customs officers swung into action upon receiving the report from the owner and on Thursday intercepted five 20-foot containers at the Pasir Panjang Terminal carrying the supplies weighing about 129 tonnes. The rice was seized once the trademark infringement was confirmed. The trademark owner is in the process of taking legal action against the importer.
In July last year, National Food Authority of Philippines said that it suspected fake rice found its way into Davao City and investigated the source.
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Concerns of fake rice arose after a video shared on WeChat (a Chinese social media app) showed workers at a factory transforming strips of plastic into rice-like granules.
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Snopes has concluded that reports that plastic rice made in China has flooded markets are unproven.