Tunisia Investigates Salt Sector for Price Manipulation and Tax Fraud

Tunisia's tax police have launched a wide-ranging investigation into suspected price manipulation within the salt production and export sector. Since early 2026, authorities have been scrutinizing 14 companies, many with foreign capital, for alleged practices that may have caused the state annual losses of up to several hundred million euros.

The probe focuses on a suspected under-invoicing scheme. Companies operating in Tunisia are believed to have sold extracted salt to affiliated foreign parent companies at prices significantly below its actual market value. This salt was then resold on international markets at much higher prices, effectively transferring profits abroad and artificially reducing declared revenues in Tunisia. Investigators are examining financial, commercial, and logistical documents over the past two decades to verify extracted volumes, sales conditions, and applied prices.

This investigation is part of a broader initiative to enhance governance over Tunisia's natural resources, including oil and salt. The Ministry of Finance, citing the TAP agency, stated that these measures aim to ensure transparency and compliance with tax laws, without challenging the rights of foreign investors. Tunisia produces approximately 2 million tons of salt annually, with the majority destined for export, a market largely dominated by foreign-invested firms.