Moroccan Authorities Close 12 Restaurants in Tangier, Seize Illegal Alcohol

The control mission was carried out on September 23 and 24 in the presence of the Customs and Indirect Taxes Administration and the National Office of Food Safety. Four alcohol sales outlets were visited and around 2,263 bottles of beverages bearing non-compliant customs stamps, 10 bottles bearing no stamp, 556 bottles of beer and 291 bottles of expired soft drinks were seized, according to the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) in a press release.

As for the regulatory operations, they allowed the commission to visit 19 classified restaurants, in which 13 offenses related to non-compliance with the type of authorization and the transformation of the main activity of restaurants into bars were recorded. Two offenses related to the recruitment of people without the necessary authorizations and 3 other offenses related to the non-display of the legal framework of the activity of this category of restaurants and the change of the trade name without authorization were also recorded.

The commission also noted, according to the DGSN, 13 offenses related to exceeding capacity and non-compliance with the social distancing measures provided for by the state of health emergency, non-wearing of protective masks by employees and staff. Following the findings of these operations, the local authorities decided to close 12 restaurants until their legal situation is regularized.

The managers of these premises have been subjected to preliminary investigations opened to determine the gray areas in these various offenses and violations.