Major Auto Parts Importers in Morocco Under Investigation for Customs Fraud

Following the transmission by the National Targeting Cell of precise information to the central and regional customs control teams, an operation is underway to verify the accounts of the "barons" of automotive spare parts. This information indicates that these parts would have been purchased from suppliers in Europe and Asia. The importing companies would have reduced the declared value of the products in collusion with their suppliers, thus depriving the public treasury of substantial customs revenues.

The purpose of the operation is to examine the import, storage and distribution transactions of well-known large companies, suspected of being involved in cases of fraud and customs evasion during previous operations. According to sources, the verifications will take the form of ex-post controls of goods recently imported and stored in the warehouses of the companies concerned, as well as in their sales outlets located in Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakech.

The audit will also include verifying the certificates issued by the quality and compliance laboratories accredited by the Ministry of Industry and Trade for these imported parts, in order to guarantee their authenticity and the regularity of the associated procedures, it is specified.