Rabat – Morocco has taken legal action against two filling stations for selling poor, low-quality gasoline in Casablanca, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali indicated.
Benali has reportedly made the statement in response to a parliamentary advisor, who echoed the complaints of several Moroccans about the poor quality of fuel sold at filling stations in Casablanca. Many complained that the low-quality fuel has caused considerable damage to their car engines.
The minister said that fuel quality monitoring bodies had taken several gasoline samples from the stations in question and their storage warehouses in the cities of Mohammedia and El Jadida.
“The laboratory analysis results indicated that the gasoline samples taken from the two stations did not meet the legal requirements in force,” the minister indicated.
The monitoring bodies then filed reports against each of the filling stations and “referred them to the prosecutor’s office in Casablanca to initiate legal proceedings against them in accordance with the laws in force,” she added.
Samples have also been taken from the storage warehouses, but laboratory analysis showed that they met the requirements.
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The fuel materials that did not comply with legal requirements were sent back to the storage warehouses Benali assured. After visiting the storage warehouse, a joint regional committee recommended destroying the material through a company approved by competent authorities.
In addition, the minister highlighted the measures that Morocco has taken in order to ensure the quality of fuel distributed in filling stations across the country.
“The fuels used in Morocco are now subject to the same standards adopted in Europe, including the levels of certain harmful substances …,” she said.
Fuel products available at Moroccan service stations are subject to quality control “at all stages, from import to their delivery to the consumer,” Benali emphasized. According to the minister, the procedure takes place in coordination between her ministry and regional directorates.
