Fuel Feud: Moroccan Truckers Hit with Hefty Fines at Spanish Border

The truckers concerned were stopped at the port of Algeciras, and were forced to pay on-site fines of 300 to 400 euros or more for having filled their tanks beyond the maximum quantity of 200 liters, as set out in a bilateral agreement between Morocco and Spain, signed in 1992. According to the terms of this agreement, any Moroccan trucker who fills his tank beyond the 200 liters will be penalized for "fuel smuggling", La Razon reports.

For Moroccan drivers, this measure aims to favor Spanish service stations. "The continued application by the Spanish authorities of the terms of a joint agreement signed more than thirty years ago is a concern for Moroccan professionals and businessmen, as their violation, in one way or another, could cost them thousands of dirhams," denounce Moroccan professionals who prefer to refuel in Morocco in order not to have to buy fuel in Spain.

To recall, it is since 2020 that the Spanish authorities have reactivated this bilateral agreement of 1992, forcing Moroccan truckers who violate this rule to pay heavy fines.