"Senior" Mozambique Customs officials were arrested Monday on suspicion of participating in the embezzlement of $18.6 million at the Maputo International Maritime Terminal.

The Attorney General's Office (PGR) says it learned of the mega fraud scheme through "a complaint of the issuance of an exemption of customs charges budgeted at 18.6 million dollars," corresponding to 1.2 billion meticais, issued by the Directorate General of Customs.

"To carry out their intentions, they used a citizen (assistant customs broker) to apply for exemption from customs duties as if for the importation of used clothing and capulanas for donation to needy people and victims of terrorism," the prosecutor's office explains in a statement.

According to the PGR, some senior officials of the Mozambican Customs, customs brokers and businessmen participated in this fraud, importing various goods and merchandise without paying the proper customs charges.

The PGR also explains that the operation consisted of the acquisition of goods at the source, on behalf of importing companies. Then, already at the port of Maputo, the documents were exchanged and the name of the company with exemption was put.

"In return, the defendants received part of the amount owed to the state for their own benefit," the prosecution further denounces.

A criminal case has already been filed, which is underway at the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Republic-City of Maputo, and the eight accused have been made defendants and arrested, now awaiting "subsequent procedural terms.

Following the arrests, several properties, luxury vehicles, and monetary valuables were also seized.