A Liberian media advocacy group has issued a statement in which it claimed that a business entity in Monrovia, Supplying West Africa Trading Company (SWAT), has been selling nearly 90,000 bags of "contaminated" USA parboiled rice on the Liberian market.

The group, Media for the Protection of Consumers said findings from an investigation revealed that SWAT is allegedly selling 25kg bag of the rice at a reduced cost which, according to them, puts the health of consumers at risk.

In the statement read at a press conference, the group's Executive Director, Moses Theophilus Togba said information gathered from one of the company's warehouses at the Freeport revealed that huge quantity of rice was contaminated.

"Reports gathered by the consumers' protection group indicate that SWAT has in one of its warehouses at the Freeport of Monrovia about 90,000 bags of USA parboiled rice, of which, 25kg of the same USA parboiled rice is contaminated...the rice is contained in a white bag bearing the inscription 'USA bag'", Mr. Togba claimed.

According to the media group's report, SWAT had ordered for a rice machine abroad for the purpose of upgrading the poor quality of the alleged contaminated rice at its warehouse.

Based on its findings, the media group called on the Liberian government, through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to conduct an immediate inspection of SWAT's warehouses at the Freeport of Monrovia and put a halt to the sale of the alleged contaminated rice in order to protect the health and interest of consumers in the country.

Meanwhile, the media group is warning unscrupulous businesses not to exploit the 'impoverished' people of Liberia and use the country as dumping ground for contaminated, fake and substandard goods only for the sole purpose of maximizing profit at the detriment of the Liberian people.

Officials at the company could not be available for comments as they were said to have been indisposed.