Moroccan customs inspectors have launched an investigation into fraudulent practices involving Certificates of Origin in commercial transactions, primarily at the ports of Tangier Med and Casablanca.
Suspicious import documents have raised concerns among central monitoring authorities, according to well-informed Hespress AR sources, which received precise intelligence from the Commercial Operations Control Department under the General Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes.
The investigation focuses on Moroccan importers allegedly registering goods from Southeast Asian countries as European-origin products to unlawfully benefit from customs exemptions under Morocco’s trade agreements with the European Union.
Initial investigations have provided customs inspectors with key information on the identities of the importers, the companies involved, and the distribution channels of the imported goods.
Coordinated efforts with regional units of the Royal Gendarmerie have led to the identification of numerous warehouses storing these goods with falsified Certificates of Origin. The majority of the affected products include spices, foodstuffs, and various consumer goods.
The influx of these underpriced items into the market has triggered complaints from legal importers who adhere to proper customs procedures.
The main importers implicated in the fraud are reportedly concentrated in three cities: Tangier, Casablanca, and Agadir. Investigations have revealed their control over import channels through document forgery and misrepresentation.
Many of these individuals are also involved in other business sectors, including real estate development and textile manufacturing. The total value of the goods with falsified certificates is estimated to exceed 730 million dirhams ($73 million), with customs authorities classifying them as smuggled merchandise due to fraudulent import filings.
Moroccan customs have strengthened oversight through a new digital monitoring system powered by artificial intelligence. This system cross-references suspicious invoices with foreign customs databases, benefiting from data-sharing agreements with partner administrations.
Additionally, it verifies pricing through professional trade organizations. The digitization of customs procedures and enhanced interconnectivity with partners have significantly improved fraud detection capabilities, enabling the National Targeting Committee to scrutinize declarations for inconsistencies.
Customs officers based their findings on post-clearance audits, which uncovered multiple cases of customs fraud related to product value, origin, and classification. The investigations primarily targeted imports of spices, flavorings, and dried fruits, where falsified Certificates of Origin were used to pay lower customs duties and taxes, allowing importers to generate substantial illicit profits.
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