Rabat – The value of smuggled goods seized in Morocco during the first quarter of 2012 has risen 24% compared to the same period a year ago, Moroccan minister of economics and finance Nizar Baraka said on Tuesday.
Mr. Baraka pointed out, at the House of Councillors’ (Upper House) question time, that the value of smuggled goods seized stood at 187 million dirhams in the reporting period, as against 151 million dirhams in the same period last year.
Concerning foodstuffs, Mr. Baraka said that the customs services carried out 321 control operations in the year to end April alone, while it had carried out 588 operations over the whole year 2011.
Moreover, the minister noted that the seized amounts of cooking oil stood at 34.743 litres between January and April 2012.
