Moroccan customs authorities have uncovered a large-scale currency smuggling network involving maritime and road transporters, following the discovery of fraudulent shipping documents tied to suspicious import operations through the ports of Tangier Med and Casablanca.
Sources with knowledge of the matter told Hespress AR that customs officers launched investigations after receiving intelligence about irregularities in “transport memos” linked to shipments originating from European suppliers.
The review revealed discrepancies between declared goods and actual contents, pointing to manipulation of import invoices to justify large foreign currency transfers.
The investigation revealed that Moroccan importers, in collusion with brokers in Europe, had inflated invoices for various goods, including processed food, mattresses, home appliances and auto parts, to move large sums of foreign currency abroad under the guise of legitimate trade.
The brokers reportedly helped tailor paperwork in Europe to align with the fabricated orders placed by Moroccan companies.
Customs officers were alerted to the scheme after international transport companies unexpectedly changed procedures, employing third-party firms to independently verify container weights and product counts. These audits exposed clear contradictions between importers’ declarations and shipping records.
Authorities are also scrutinizing transactions involving Moroccan companies flagged in electronic data exchanges with European countries. Ongoing investigations revealed links between these firms and legal and financial consulting offices in France, which allegedly helped launder large amounts of foreign currency, particularly euros.
The money was reportedly funneled into sub-accounts under the names of Moroccan expatriates, then withdrawn in cash from bank branches, mainly in Spain.
The smuggling operation also involved fake European companies used as fronts for money laundering activities by international criminal networks. Customs agents are now tracing connections between these shell companies and other Moroccan importers.
As part of ongoing efforts to tighten oversight, the Customs and Indirect Tax Administration reminded importing companies of the requirement to include their Unified Tax Identification Number (ICE) in all invoices. This requirement extends to all transport providers, whether maritime, road or air, as part of international audit efforts aimed at identifying import-related fraud.
Customs officers, working alongside the Exchange Office and the Tax Directorate, are now examining the financial activities of import firms with representative offices in Spain. Investigators suspect some operators leveraged their dual citizenship to shuttle between the two countries and conduct import transactions far exceeding their declared revenues.
Moroccan authorities have requested detailed financial records from European partners to further probe the alleged currency smuggling.
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