Smuggling Ring Floods Morocco with Illegal European Minibuses, Evading Customs

According to the daily Assabah, transport operators operating intercity transport have been able to renew their fleet without acquiring new vehicles. They resort to "refurbished" minibuses before putting them into circulation and which are introduced into Morocco by the dozens, thus bypassing customs procedures. A deception made possible by the lack of technical inspection of these public transport vehicles in circulation.

At least 200 vehicles have undergone this action of the network specialized in the import of used buses from European countries until their circulation under false documents, reports the same media. This is the case in Marrakech, of a minibus completely damaged by fire in 2009, and which continues to ply the country on an intercity line. In reality, it is no longer quite the same since it is another bus, illegally introduced into Morocco and circulating with the papers of the first and its chassis number. It is certainly an isolated case, notes the daily which suspects the existence of possible links with officials of the Customs Directorate.

According to the newspaper, this network operates in Casablanca, Errachidia, Rabat, Tangier and Beni Mellal, among others, and has ramifications in Europe. In Morocco, it controls several bodywork, mechanics and auto electrical workshops. According to the same media, a case related to this network is brought by the judicial police in El Jadida. Several people are indeed the subject of a judicial investigation for forgery.