HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Zeriouh
Nador port has turned into a scene of unprecedented customs "blockage" after customs authorities issued strict orders to stop the passage of large shipments of European household appliances. Fleets of refrigerators and washing machines have become "hostages" behind the customs walls in a move that surprised the commercial circles. This sudden siege came after the uncovering of dangerous schemes to manipulate tax declarations and circumvent the regulating laws, in a desperate attempt to smuggle large sums of imposed fees and mislead tax justice.
The matter did not stop at the limits of the seizure, but the General Directorate of Customs sent a "commando" of central inspectors who carried out a field raid at the port a week ago on a burning audit mission. The investigations are not limited to what is visible today, but have extended to delve into old records "retroactively" in a fierce chase of previous tax evasion operations that may have drained the state treasury for years, amid rumors circulating in the corridors about arranging "seismic" financial penalties and judicial pursuits that will topple heavyweights in the sector. Amid this security and financial mobilization, a ring of close technological surveillance was imposed through the authorities' use of a "highly intelligent" digital system that analyzes the finest details of imported goods and leaves no room for error, supported by an army of advanced surveillance cameras that monitor every movement and stillness at the sensitive points of the port. These procedures fall within a comprehensive "cleansing" plan aimed at completely cutting off the path for port brokers and establishing a system of absolute transparency that ends the era of favoritism and administrative negligence. In the heart of this storm that is hitting the port facility, eyes are turning with great anticipation to the capital, Rabat, where explosive leaks have revealed the imminent announcement of the appointment of a new director general of the customs service within a few hours to take over the torch from "Abdul Latif Al-Omrani". This change in the leadership pyramid comes at a very sensitive time to carry a clear political message, the content of which is the injection of new blood capable of confronting structural imbalances and inaugurating a stage of absolute strictness in protecting the economic borders of the Kingdom. What Nador port is currently witnessing is not just a routine procedure, but it is a "declaration of war" on logistical corruption, paving the way for a comprehensive modernization revolution that will change the face of border facilities. This anticipated transition in leadership, coinciding with the extensive cleansing campaign, aims to formulate a new reality in which Moroccan ports are fortified strongholds against smuggling and clean engines for the national economy, clearly confirming that the time of laxity and violation of the law is gone forever.
