Total Loss of Vehicle - Help Needed
 

We had a devastating day in the Western Sahara yesterday resulting in the total loss of a 4x4. Fortunately no one was hurt, now at police station waiting after a long night in the desert.

As far as I understand we need a police report confirming the car is scrap before the owner can leave.

Does anyone have any more detail on the process or what we need to do next?


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Glad no one was hurt. I don't know of process I am afraid but we're in n Zagora at the moment if we can help in any way.

Simon

Total Loss of Vehicle - Help Needed
 

Thanks for the offer Simon. Right now we need sleep and somewhere nice for a night so we can regroup and plan.


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No problem, we're in Zagora until tomorrow morning and then heading to Tata via MS8. Hope to be in Tata on Saturday.


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Let me know if you get all the way through to Tata without being turned back. It's a route I want to do but have been turned back every time I tried


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I didn't think it was that easy. I had understood the vehicle had to be removed from the country otherwise taxes would be charged—there is clearly some residual value in the vehicle for parts. I suppose one alternative is to gift the wrecked vehicle to the customs...

I can't find any recent definitive statement, this is from over 10 years ago...

"The following : (...) in the case of the temporary admission of vehicles, the only guarantee required is the undertaking by the person to re-export his vehicle within the authorized regulatory deadlines; This commitment being formalized in the temporary declaration. (...) In the event of a declaration of theft of the imported vehicle suspending duties and taxes, the person concerned becomes liable for the said duties and taxes which shall be paid before leaving the national territory ... Moreover, In the event of a serious accident (...) Wreck may be re-exported. It may also be released for consumption on payment of the import duties and taxes payable but on the wreck and not on the vehicle as it was imported ... It is still true that freely entered into customs By natural or legal persons, except in cases of force majeure due to natural causes."

We've had this through which appears to detail the process

http://www.service-public.ma/en/web/...Procedure=5206


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Have a good nights sleep.

Then I'd be having breakfast and then talking to;

the Police (as you have done - but go back and talk some more, they know more about the local conditions for recovery and scrap value).
the customs people.

Ask the Police if the vehicle is worth recovery for scrap, if so you might sell it for scrap (take photos and get a report from the Police about the accident) and then pay the customs people for the duty on the scrap value minus the cost of recovery. Best if the scrap people do the recovery and simply issue the payment invoice so that all the recovery costs and valuation are in one document. Before you do it .. but after making local enquiries with the local Police + wreckers ... talk to the customs people and see what they think is best.

Good Luck.

Did you happen to join ADAC before you left. They have a recovery service designed for just this situation and they cover morocco. Any other motoring organisation membership?

No not with this car. To be honest there's nothing left but scrap metal.

Typically dealing with anything here is very confusing. Police are saying that we don't need to go to customs to leave the country


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You definitely need to talk to customs who have offices at all airports and sea ports. When I left my motorbike in Morocco when I travelled home for an emergency I had to complete forms and have the bike tagged on the Douanes computer system. And the computer system is quite impressive, tracking all my comings and goings over many years!

15% of normal import duty could still be a sizeable amount.

I agree with Tim, even if the vehicle owner can leave the country no questions asked, they definitely need to at least try and clear it with Customs, unless they never plan to return to Morocco. The issue is import taxes.
My only total loses have been twice in Algeria (others) and once in Mali (mine).
None were viably recoverable but as always in Africa – even Morocco – stone-set regs tend to soften up once a few teas are sipped and cigs smoked. Or be prepared to tow the wreckage out of the country - to north or south.

Hi Mark,

Sorry to hear about your trouble - hope you're all OK now the dust has settled.

I guess your friend will be either flying back or exiting at Tanger Med with the group. Either way he'll need to have a good talk with customs/police where you are. Trying to explain the same at either Marrakech airport or Tanger Med port is likely to result in a huge amount of hassle and a hefty bill for duty.

You need a statement from the police indicating that the vehicle has been a total loss and scrapped where you are.

The police should have a local contact who will buy the wreck for an agreed sum. You'll need a letter from the police clearly stating that this has been done. It needs to include all the details of the car, the driver's details, DOB, passport and CIN numbers, a photocopy of the D16 and a photocopy of a receipt from the buyer.

The alternative is to export the vehicle but recovery to the port will be a killer. As a guide, recovery on a truck is about €1 per km.

Hope that helps,

Peter

You can call the ADAC in Agadir.I am sure they know what you have to do.

ADAC Agadir

24, Rue Nation Union, Angle Rue Mokhtar Souissi, Cité Suisse, 80000 Agadir.

(B.P. 720), 80000 Agadir

Tel.: (0528) 84 37 52, Fax: (0528) 82 51 54

Regards
Mike

A similar situation in Azerbaijan I got my bike to a customs controlled area where it was marked on their system as having left the country, I handed the key to the customs officer and left with everybody happy, I am sure you need to witness it's official departure on their system before leaving the country.