Casablanca Hotel Owner Arrested for Smuggling, Tax Fraud in Major Police Raid

This raid by the elements of the National Security allowed them to take note of many facts punishable by conviction. Among these, the marketing of smuggled alcoholic beverages harmful to health, the falsification of tax stamps and commercial brands of alcoholic beverages sold. During a press briefing at the Casablanca police headquarters, the security officials also mentioned several other malfunctions, all of which constitute a violation of regulatory measures. This is the case, in particular, of the operation of a nightclub in flagrant violation of the state of health emergency. However, the establishment in question only has a type 1 liquor license (restaurant), it is specified.

Furthermore, the elements of the National Security claim to have proceeded to the arrest of 4 Algerian nationals residing in this hotel. The verification operations confirm that the latter have been illegally residing in Morocco since 2019. Meanwhile, searches carried out in the establishment led to the seizure of 108 falsified tax stamps intended to make it appear that the alcoholic beverages had been cleared through customs, 22 caps sealed with a false Customs stamp and intended to be used on used bottles, 74 empty bottles to be used after the addition of falsified fiscal and visual data, 11 bottles of smuggled alcohol and 09 opened bottles, reports La Map.

Faced with these facts, and on the orders of the competent prosecutor’s office, the hotel manager was taken into custody, while a procedure for the expulsion of the foreign nationals arrested was initiated. According to the officials of the National Security, this control operation aims to verify the hotel establishments registered under the standards of the legislation relating to the sale of drinks, but also to enforce the provisions of the law on the state of health emergency aimed at curbing the spread of the new coronavirus pandemic.