HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Zeriyouh
Morocco tops the list of African countries receiving smuggled smartphones from Europe, according to a report issued by the European Eurosec Foundation, with thousands of devices arriving annually without going through customs procedures, raising controversy about the impact of this trade on the national economy and consumer safety.
The report reveals that these phones, often used or refurbished, are sold at low prices but lack quality and safety standards, which harms consumers and leads to unfair competition with legal products. Figures indicate that Morocco receives about 500,000 units annually, causing losses estimated at about two billion dirhams to the public treasury. Despite the efforts made by customs and security services to monitor the used device market, smuggling continues on a large scale, benefiting from the high demand for smartphones and the weak control over products coming from abroad, which reflects a growing security and economic challenge. According to the report, 75% of the smuggled phones are used, 20% are unusable, and only 5% are recycled after repair, which increases pressure on the local market and poses serious environmental challenges due to electronic waste. The report concludes that addressing this phenomenon requires tightening customs control, enhancing international cooperation, and holding smuggling networks accountable, in addition to educating consumers about the risks of buying smuggled devices, to ensure a safer and fairer market and better protection for users.
