HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
The central services of customs and indirect taxes have launched a wide-ranging investigation after discovering manipulations in import documents submitted by Moroccan and foreign companies, including inflated invoices, bank guarantees, and financial transfer certificates, some of which proved to be forged or non-compliant.
Preliminary data revealed that some importers used high-value invoices in their deals with suppliers in China, leading to the transfer of amounts exceeding 270 million dirhams over three years, although the real value of the goods did not exceed 143 million dirhams, representing financial smuggling of approximately 195 million dirhams. The investigations concerned three companies importing textiles, household equipment, and electrical appliances, where coordinated manipulation was found between their officials and some foreign suppliers. Customs is working in coordination with the Exchange Office to track the path of suspicious financial transfers. Customs is also reviewing the files of dozens of importers to verify compliance with procedures, at a time when the administration confirms that it has strengthened control mechanisms to reduce the phenomenon of inflating or reducing the value of declared goods, based on the exchange of data with foreign tax and customs authorities.
