A dangerous network is mobilizing the Moroccan tax administration with new fraudulent methods.

Agadir24

A dangerous network has mobilized the Moroccan tax administration with new fraudulent methods.

In this context, the control services of the General Directorate of Taxes have launched in-depth investigations into the activity of a network for the manufacture of commercial assets, after receiving statements from legal persons, holders of newly established commercial assets, which included forged invoices in order to justify expenses and raise the level of financial and commercial activity for activities they claim to be engaged in, concerning the sectors of textiles, garden management and stone trade.

Media sources reported that the ongoing investigations led to a network that included accountants, employees in regional land registry agencies, and topographic engineers, who created fictitious commercial assets, which were used in loan application files within public support and financing programs, particularly the “Intilaka” and “Forsa” programs. The sources explained that the network’s clients who wanted to borrow were directed by its members to rent commercial premises in different areas with fixed-term rental contracts, and then provided with the geographical location of the premises (Loclalistation) via telephone, which was then used to determine the location of the premises using satellites and obtain the property’s property registration number, in order to create a commercial asset bearing its address, without informing the property owner (the lessor) or obtaining his approval.

The same sources reported that tax inspectors requested additional data from taxpayers suspected of benefiting from fictitious commercial assets, in addition to the declarations submitted, concerning bank account statements, confirming that the exchange of data between the tax administration and banks showed that the identity of the parties in the bank transfers did not match the invoices and the nature of the declared commercial transactions, stressing that some manufactured commercial assets enabled their owners to obtain bank loans amounting to 200 thousand dirhams (20 million centimes), and no installment of them was paid to the donor banks; it also pointed out that the inspectors’ investigations were able to detect attempts to dispose of some of these assets burdened with their debts, through requests for transfer of ownership filed at the level of commercial courts, especially in Casablanca.

Law No. 15.95 on the Commercial Code regulates the sale of commercial assets. Article 81 states that “the sale or transfer of a commercial asset, as well as its offering as a share in a company or its allocation by division or auction, shall be made by an official or customary contract. The sale proceeds shall be deposited with a legally qualified entity to keep deposits, while the contract shall specify the name of the seller, the date of the transfer contract, its type and price, with a distinction between the price of intangible elements and goods and equipment, the status of registration of privileges and mortgages on the asset, and, where applicable, the rent, its date and duration, the current rent amount, the name and address of the lessor, in addition to the source of ownership of the commercial asset.”

The same sources confirmed that tax inspectors had discovered the exploitation of commercial assets in producing invoices for services and equipment, as it was verified that they were repeatedly used in successive declarations by other taxpayers within a single geographical area, and it was confirmed that they were all managed by a single accounting office. They explained that the identity of those involved had been determined, and it was confirmed that they exploited the manufactured assets in illegal activities.

The same sources reported that tax inspectors requested additional data from taxpayers suspected of benefiting from fictitious commercial assets, in addition to the declarations submitted, concerning bank account statements, confirming that the exchange of data between the tax administration and banks showed that the identity of the parties in the bank transfers did not match the invoices and the nature of the declared commercial transactions, stressing that some manufactured commercial assets enabled their owners to obtain bank loans amounting to 200 thousand dirhams (20 million centimes), and no installment of them was paid to the donor banks; it also pointed out that the inspectors’ investigations were able to detect attempts to dispose of some of these assets burdened with their debts, through requests for transfer of ownership filed at the level of commercial courts, especially in Casablanca.

Law No. 15.95 on the Commercial Code regulates the sale of commercial assets. Article 81 states that “the sale or transfer of a commercial asset, as well as its offering as a share in a company or its allocation by division or auction, shall be made by an official or customary contract. The sale proceeds shall be deposited with a legally qualified entity to keep deposits, while the contract shall specify the name of the seller, the date of the transfer contract, its type and price, with a distinction between the price of intangible elements and goods and equipment, the status of registration of privileges and mortgages on the asset, and, where applicable, the rent, its date and duration, the current rent amount, the name and address of the lessor, in addition to the source of ownership of the commercial asset.”

The same sources confirmed that tax inspectors had discovered the exploitation of commercial assets in producing invoices for services and equipment, as it was verified that they were repeatedly used in successive declarations by other taxpayers within a single geographical area, and it was confirmed that they were all managed by a single accounting office. They explained that the identity of those involved had been determined, and it was confirmed that they exploited the manufactured assets in illegal activities.