Massive Crackdown: Morocco Uncovers Luxury Counterfeit Ring with Political Ties

The ongoing investigations have revealed the existence of storage warehouses for ready-to-wear clothing of major brands, women’s bags and accessories, as well as luxury watches for men and women in metropolitan areas such as Casablanca, in order to facilitate delivery to retailers and carry out sales on order. These networks operate with the complicity of businessmen and political officials, according to sources at Hespress.

These high-quality counterfeit products are imported by companies and then resold on local markets at prices reaching up to 60% of the value of certain articles. The analysis of import documents has revealed irregularities in invoices and customs declarations, particularly with regard to international brand sports shoes. In total, customs agents have seized more than two million counterfeit items in one year, according to the latest official data, an increase of 11% compared to the previous year for a total value of 19.9 million dirhams.

Furthermore, the Customs Administration has processed 622 requests for the suspension of the release for free circulation of goods suspected of counterfeiting, compared to 682 the previous year, the same sources inform, adding that customs investigators have also detected "high quality" counterfeit products, manufactured on site in clandestine workshops located on the outskirts of Casablanca, then sold at high prices, and even abroad.