Ivorian customs officials have made a significant seizure at the Port of Abidjan, intercepting approximately 2,000 metric tons of falsely declared cocoa beans, valued at an estimated $19 million. The shipment was misrepresented as rubber in an attempt to evade the country’s higher export taxes on cocoa.
The illegal goods, concealed in 110 containers, were flagged by customs officers during an inspection last week. According to one customs official, “To my knowledge, this is the first time we’ve made such a seizure. 2,000 tons is a significant amount,” indicating the magnitude of the operation.
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer, has stringent tax regulations on cocoa exports. The cocoa export tax includes a 14.5% duty and a 5% registration tax, totaling 19.5%. Had the goods been accurately declared as cocoa, this would have generated an estimated $2.9 million in revenue for the state. In contrast, rubber exports are taxed at a mere 1.5%, underscoring the financial motivation behind the fraudulent declaration.
This illegal scheme represents part of a larger issue facing Côte d’Ivoire, which has struggled with smuggling and tax evasion, particularly along its western borders with Guinea and Liberia. Smugglers often offer farmers higher prices than the official farm gate rate, enticing them to engage in illegal trade routes.
The authorities’ success in intercepting this massive shipment marks a key moment in Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to clamp down on fraudulent trade practices and safeguard critical state revenues. This latest seizure demonstrates the country’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its customs enforcement and protecting the integrity of its cocoa industry.
