Scandal in Hassi Messaoud Customs Office

Spanish energy Sipsa firm managed to release a load of equipments that have been seized for 26 months in the Customs warehouse of the oil city of Hassi Messaoud, after complicity with officers within the Customs Inspectorate regional office there.

In fact, Echourouk got a copy of a document that shows that Customs Inspectorate regional office in Hassi Messaoud has breached the law while accepting to release energy equipments which exceeded the seize deadline (60 days), becoming thus a priority of Customs.

The document dates back to 18 May 2011, and shows that the head of inspector of trade operation at the Hassi Messaoud regional Customs office has signed the authorization letter that allows scanning D41 samples for Sipsa energy firm operating in the oil plants of Hassi Messaoud, ahead of the customs clearance of a 20 million DZD equipments that have been seized in 18 May 2009.

The law stipulates goods that are seized for more than 60 days without being cleared become property of Customs Head office, which should sold them in auction. However, Sipsa firm managed to get scan authorization after 26 months. 

Security services in Hassi Messaoud have opened an investigation on the issue, a source within the Customs regional office revealed.