Cyber-fraudsters react very quickly to changes in legislation, regulations and means of control and surveillance.
Challenge.
Customs celebrated its World Day on January 26. On this occasion, Larbi Belbachir, former senior official at the Customs and Indirect Tax Administration (ADII) and expert in the fight against fraud and illicit drug trafficking, has just published the second volume of his book under the theme ” Customs at the digital frontiers: Changes, risks and means of action “succeeding his previous book released in 2020.
Faced with current digital challenges, it is necessary for Moroccan customs to constantly evolve their legal and technological means so that they are adapted to cyber threats. In his book, Larbi Belbachir points out that the adoption of the computer tool in customs, if it has been effective for decades through the filing of customs declarations and their processing electronically, was very quickly confronted with challenges of all kinds such as the manipulation of automated data relating to goods and vehicles in temporary admission. Having worked for nearly forty years in Moroccan customs, the author of the said book notes that the risk affects all the actors involved in electronic commerce: both consumers and producers, sellers, administrations, governments and more broadly. the states.
For him, cyber-fraudsters react very quickly to changes in legislation, regulations and means of control and surveillance. He explains that Moroccan customs have established protocols with postal service operators. However, the Customs Code dates from 1977 and the adoption of repressive provisions related to computer fraud dates back to the 1980s. It therefore appears that it has been more than thirty years since the texts have known any real change. However, the adaptation of the law is essential to also allow us to fight on equal terms against cybercrime.
It should be noted that the International Customs Day was established by the WCO, it is celebrated on January 26 of each year by the customs community throughout the world, around a key theme reflecting a strategic priority for this organization. This day is an opportunity to highlight the contribution of customs to guaranteeing a sustainable future and ensuring security and prosperity, in particular through the fight against drug trafficking and counterfeit products.