The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), through its Asset Management Office (GGA), has announced that it is managing a total of 2,271 assets, valued at 2.4 billion meticais (37.2 million dollars), seized as part of actions to combat criminal activities in Mozambique.
According to data published by Lusa, the list of assets seized essentially since 2022 includes 80 properties, 73.58 per cent of which were the result of tax fraud and crimes and 12.86 per cent of drug trafficking.
In this regard, according to the information, the GGA will hold a public auction of several of these assets on Thursday 3 October, at an auction to be held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Maputo city.
This year, the MEF began managing assets and property seized or recovered in favour of the state. The measure is contained in Presidential Decree 02/2024, of 4 March, which recognises the need to review the duties and powers of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
‘Specifically, with regard to the powers that are already in force, among others, the entity will take on the administration of assets and goods seized or recovered in favour of the state, in the context of national proceedings or acts arising from international legal and judicial cooperation,’ the publication recalled.
In the management of seized assets, the decree also establishes that the Ministry must ‘conserve, protect and manage seized assets and property in the custody of the State, in a diligent and zealous manner’, as well as ‘determine the disposal, capitalisation, sale and assignment to public service or destruction of the assets’ recovered.
Faced with the new scenario, the MEF explained that this redefinition of competences consists of adapting the organisation’s responsibilities to new developments, reinforcing transparency and good governance in crucial areas.
At the same time, the institution also took over the management of the Executive
Coordination Committee for the removal of the country from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
‘The entity will play a fundamental role in strengthening the national financial system and implementing the actions needed to fulfil international requirements to prevent and combat money laundering, terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,’ he concluded.
