Ghost companies busted in major customs fraud scheme

Moroccan customs officials have uncovered a sophisticated fraud network involving “kamikaze companies” — shell businesses that disappear after completing illicit import operations, according to sources cited by Hespress AR.

The companies, mostly limited liability firms (SARLs), imported goods from China and European nations, particularly Germany. However, investigations revealed that many of the addresses listed on import documents were either fake, based on forged leases, or were simply mailboxes at accounting offices.

The discovery was triggered by Morocco’s customs value-check units at major entry points — including the ports of Casablanca, Agadir, Tangier Med, and Mohammed V International Airport — which detected anomalies in the declared values of imported goods.

Authorities believe that importers deliberately undervalued items to avoid customs duties, while others inflated invoices to illegally transfer funds abroad.

Using Morocco’s customs tracking system, BADR, and data cross-checked with European customs authorities, investigators determined that the ghost firms were part of a larger transnational fraud network exploiting legal loopholes to launder money and commit customs violations.

Several cases have been referred to judicial authorities and debt recovery units. However, officials warn that enforcement remains difficult, as many of the companies were registered with fake addresses or through intermediary accounting firms, complicating asset tracing and recovery.

In some instances, the individuals behind the firms were already facing legal action over unpaid bank loans and were banned from issuing checks.

This latest crackdown follows the implementation of stricter anti-fraud provisions under the 2024 Finance Law, which increased penalties for customs violations and fraudulent vehicle documentation.

The measures appear to be having an impact: customs revenue rose by 18% in the past year, reaching MAD 131 billion. Of this, MAD 4.2 billion was collected through inspections and audits alone, with over 94% of payments now processed electronically, highlighting the role of digital systems in tightening regulatory oversight.