Spain confirmed that it would not admit contraband under any circumstances, after announcing the reopening of the border crossings of Ceuta and Melilla, said the Spanish media outlet Marruecom on Monday.
“Since the reopening of the border crossings, there has been no smuggling activity,” according to the same source.
Land borders between Morocco and Spanish enclaves Ceuta and Melilla reopened last Tuesday, after over two years of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the diplomatic spat that was recently resolved.
The General Directorate of Customs (DGI) confirmed in its recent press release that there will be no more smuggling operations at the Bab Sebta and Beni Ansar border crossings.
DGI explained that “all measures have been taken with the aim of ending all forms of smuggling at the two crossing points,” noting that this type of trade “constituted a major obstacle to the establishment of a conducive environment.”
In the first phase of border reopening, only European Union citizens and residents were allowed to access Ceuta and Melilla, excluding all Moroccans, including those from neighboring cities such as Nador and Tetouan, who do not have a visa.
Starting May 31, legally recognized border workers and individuals whose visas expired during the two-year closure will be able to cross the borders.
More recently, Ceuta’s government delegation stated that it plans to speed up visa procedures for cross-border workers, including Moroccans, according to the government delegation’s press release issued on Friday.
This move came after Ceuta’s government delegation collaborated with the Interior and Foreign Affairs Ministries, in addition to the Spanish Consulate in Tetouan.
Workers are required to book appointments in the offices of the consulate starting this Monday, according to the same press release.
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