The criminal chamber specializing in the financial corruption affairs of the Tunis court of first instance made a heavy judgment last night in a fraudulent export file.
A former customs executive was sentenced to five years in prison, while a businessman, owner of a group of companies active in the export of tuna and sardine, received seven years in prison. The information was confirmed to Diwan FM by a judicial source.
The two accused were found guilty of financial embezzlement and administrative irregularities as part of the export of tuna and sardine abroad. The court has retained facts characterized by the abusive use of functions and the falsification of customs documents for the benefit of private interests, to the detriment of public administration.
A fraud orchestrated at the border post of Dhehiba
According to the file, the main defendant’s customs framework operated its position at the Dhehiba border office to affix the official cachet of the customs recipe on two declarations, indicating the release of tuna and sardine lots. However, these goods had never crossed the border post. This maneuver aimed to give an appearance of regularity to fraudulent operations.
According to the judicial source, this judgment is part of the fight against the bypass networks of customs procedures, while the authorities seek to strengthen the exemplarity of the sanctions to dissuade future offenses.
