The Cabinet’s activity report for last year, reviewed Tuesday at the weekly Council of Ministers meeting, revealed significant asset seizures, as explained by spokesperson Inocêncio Impissa. Impissa stated that in 2024, three auctions were conducted for certain assets, while others were retained for state use.
“In this context, the Asset Management Office, managing assets seized in 2024 in Nampula, Nacala, and Maputo, holds two hotels, 17 properties and warehouses, 21 offices and shops, two mosques, a school, a clinic, and a restaurant,” Impissa noted after the Council of Ministers meeting.
The Central Office for Asset Recovery also received 28 vehicles, five trucks, and 17 tractors. In the same year, 18 car sale parks, with over 600 vehicles, and assets belonging to a farm, including various properties and machinery, were seized.
By last October, the Mozambican Asset Management Office was administering 2,271 assets, valued at 2.401 billion meticais (33.5 million euros), as part of the fight against criminal activities.
According to the office’s data, assets seized mainly since 2022 included 80 properties, with 73.58% resulting from tax fraud and crimes, and 12.86% from drug trafficking.
The Ministry of Finance began managing assets seized or recovered for the state in 2024 as part of efforts to combat illicit or criminal activities, following a reassessment of its roles and responsibilities.
This is outlined in Presidential Decree 02/2024 of March 4, acknowledging the “need to review the ministry’s roles and responsibilities.” The ministry is now responsible for the “administration of assets and goods seized or recovered for the state in national proceedings or acts stemming from international legal and judicial cooperation.”
The decree also mandates that the Ministry of Finance “conserve, protect, and manage the state’s seized assets diligently and carefully,” and determine the sale, capitalization, sale, public service allocation, or destruction of recovered goods.
Mozambique has had a Central Office for Asset Recovery (GCRA) under the Attorney-General’s Office since 2022, tasked with investigating, tracking, seizing, and recovering assets.
In its first year, the GCRA announced the recovery of over one billion meticais (14.3 million euros) from illicit sources, including 30 properties and 12 vehicles.
