Morocco Reportedly Shuts Down Smuggling Routes to Spanish Enclaves Ceuta and Melilla

Induced by the loss of revenue generated by the smuggling of goods, the decision is likely to deal a severe blow to the thousands of "hamalas", carriers, and to suffocate trade in the two Spanish enclaves.

Although the information has been denied by a senior Moroccan official, the crossing points have nonetheless been closed on the Moroccan side for several weeks.

In a statement to the newspaper El Confidential, the president of the Ceuta residents’ association specified that "several factors have forced Morocco to put an end to the circulation of goods at the Ceuta and Melilla crossings".

Moreover, the losses caused by smuggling at the Ceuta crossing point were estimated by the Director General of Customs and Indirect Taxes at 730 million euros.

For the time being, no concrete support measures have been communicated by the Moroccan authorities regarding the future of the thousands of people who will be deprived of their only livelihood.