Morocco’s Customs Revenue Soars After Closing Borders to Combat Smuggling

The closure of Ceuta and Melilla due to smuggling has had a positive impact on Moroccan customs revenues. These revenues have increased by 4 billion dirhams (382 million euros). During a meeting of the National Business Council (CNE), Nabyl Lakhdar, Director General of the Customs and Indirect Taxes Administration (ADII) presented the results of a recent study showing a "spectacular" increase in customs revenues. Without the flow of untaxed smuggling, legal imports are increasing significantly, he noted.

According to the ADII boss, the 4 billion dirham increase is "relatively significant," reports Le360 to whom he gave an interview. He is optimistic about customs revenue forecasts. "We will have a record year, much better than [the pre-pandemic period] 2019," he says.

Morocco closed its borders with Ceuta and Melilla in March 2020 due to smuggling that was eating away at its economy. Estimates suggest this illicit trade generated more than 1.5 billion euros in revenue for the two cities, but cost the Moroccan treasury between 360 and 540 million euros in customs duties annually.