New Government Campaign Against Corruption

Syria - Wednesday, March 4, 2009

In the past few weeks, Syria has witnessed an active government drive against administrative and financial corruption. The drive targeted the Customs Agency whereby a number of employees and the Director (Hassan Makhloof) were arrested. The Ministry of Finance ordered the confiscation of the fixed and movable property, as well as bank funds, of Mr. Makhloof, his extended family and his legal agent. A total of 173 real state properties worth hundreds of millions of Syrian pounds ($1 = 50 Syrian) were confiscated. The amount of frozen funds was not disclosed. Economic experts estimate that the Syrian treasury had lost billions of Syrian pounds as a result of embezzlement by the Custom's Director and his network. The experts demanded a more intensive investigation and arrest of all accomplices who were protecting the Custom's Director.
Source: Al-Khaleej Daily, UAE