Algeria: Probes for screening 15 thousand “fraudulent” importers

More than 15,000 “fraudulent” importers listed within the national importers’ register, including foreign traders, will be subjected to exceptional control and in-depth economic investigations and their recent business dealings will be under a deep perusal by the relevant authorities as part of a wide-ranging “cleansing” operation decided of late by the trade ministerial department.

Stringent control will be applied to this effect regarding billing operations, and the dates of application and receipt of goods, as well as quality and the matching criteria, in addition to investigation in the area of tax evasion and social security contributions.

The Ministry of trade has enjoined all trade Directorates of the 48 provinces of the country, to tighten control on importers listed within the national register as part of the ongoing cleansing drive aimed at exposing the “cheaters” including dishonest foreign importers and “purging” the national foreign trade sector of the nefarious Mafia-like smuggling ring which has dealt a severe blow to the national economy through its illicit and fraudulent practices for many years now.

Meanwhile, Two working groups have been installed in application with the recommendations of President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika, during a recent small-scale Council to define the measures for import rationalization and the fight against capital flight, said Minister of trade Amara Benyounes,

The first group, installed at the trade Ministry, is accountable for developing the actions to be taken to ensure better management and streamlining imports.

“Based on the orientations of the President of the Republic, we have put in place under the leadership of the Prime Minister, a working group which has to submit within days its findings as to what must be done in terms of foreign trade streamlining,” said Amara Benyounes.

Concerning the second group, which is composed of representatives of the Ministry of trade and both customs and tax administrations, its mission is to follow up in a “rigorous, precise and permanent” way all transactions of international trade so as to curtail capital flight abroad, the minister added.