MoT upholds anti-smuggling regulation

Commitment visible within first week of execution

The Ministry of Telecommunications (MoT) will not stop or delay the execution of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) regulation, said Rita Khairallah, Director of the Project at the MoT. The IMEI aims at maintaining a database of the serial identification number for each handset.

Implementing the regulation will not allow the functioning of any handset unless it is registered and identified by the network operators.

“Smugglers and customs tax evaders are objecting to the process and demanding to delay its execution in order to sell their stock of smuggled mobile devices,” she said.

Khairallah said that the regulation was approved by the Council of Ministers and has been running smoothly since the beginning of June.

“Last week, we received a report concerning the first batch of legally imported mobile devices by a previous known customs tax evader. This confirms the efficiency of the regulation,” said Khairallah.

She said that registering mobile devices is in importers’ best interest; otherwise they will start losing customers.

According to her, financial revenues from the execution of the regulation will require some time to be noticed, but the first step was already taken.

Tourists or expatriates can still use their international or foreign mobile lines with the devices they already carry. However, if they need to use their phone with a Lebanese line, they will have to register them with one of the network operators - even if they purchase the mobile phone from the airport duty-free shop – said Khairallah.