Japanese police have arrested two people on suspicion of trying to smuggle about 45 tons of rice into the country from Vietnam. The authorities believe the suspects were planning to sell the rice in Japan.
They say the arrestees are a 36-year-old Vietnamese national and her 47-year-old husband. The woman is the representative of a food import firm located in Osaka Prefecture.
The authorities say in late June the couple tried to bring the rice in through a port in Osaka City. They say the rice did not have the inspection certificates that imports are required to have.
The police arrested the two on Monday on suspicion of violating the customs law and the plant protection law.
The authorities say the rice was hidden in a shipping container behind mung beans.
They believe the rice is of the Japonica variety.
The police declined to disclose whether the two have confessed to the smuggling allegations. They say such a disclosure could hinder their investigation.
AloJapan.com