Customs foil bid to smuggle rice from Cochin Port

Kochi, Nov 18 (UNI) Customs authorities at the Cochin Port last night seized three container loads of rice being smuggled to the West-Asia in a declared consignment of coconuts, officials said today.

Senior Customs officials told UNI that two more container loads, which had already been loaded onto a Dubai-bound ship, were also being searched.

However, no arrests have been made so far.

Export of non-basmati rice had been banned by the Centre earlier this year to rein in inflation.

Further details were awaited.

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