Morocco’s Interior Ministry is sending central inspection teams to several municipalities to investigate alleged tax fraud and irregularities tied to quarry operations that may have cost the state millions of dirhams, officials familiar with the matter told Hespress.
The probes will begin in the Casablanca-Settat and Fez-Meknes regions, focusing on suspected manipulation of municipal tax records that allegedly allowed quarry operators supplying major brick and ceramic factories to avoid paying required levies.
According to the sources, inspection teams will carry out full audits of billing and taxation systems, supported by video evidence and drone footage collected by local authorities. The material is said to show unauthorized sand and clay extraction in areas of Berrechid, Nouaceur and Mediouna provinces, where no official permits were issued.
Some construction and manufacturing companies, including contractors on public infrastructure projects, are suspected of exploiting informal quarries for raw materials before abandoning them without safety measures, the sources said.
The Interior Ministry is considering legal action if evidence confirms deliberate fraud for personal gain, they added.
Previous regional inquiries reportedly identified companies using heavy machinery in illegal quarries, documenting violations with photos and video.
Morocco’s quarry law, 27.13, requires operators to comply with licensing terms and pay taxes and fees on extracted materials. Penalties for violations can include fines, administrative sanctions and closure of sites. Temporary permits are available for contractors working on public infrastructure projects.
About time!