Cigarette scandal shifts attention to institutionalized corruption in Jordan

Jordanians are following with great interest the unfolding of what could be the biggest corruption scandal in years. On July 25, the government said 14 individuals were arrested, including the main suspect’s son, while 16 others were still at large. On July 23, government spokesperson Gumana Ghnaimat was quoted by various news agencies as saying that this case might bring down big names, pointing to the possibility that former officials may be involved.

Jordanians were shocked and dismayed over revelations of a corruption case involving senior government officials and agencies that allegedly allowed a local businessman to run a number of unlicensed cigarette manufacturing plants all over the kingdom for over five years without paying customs and income tax. Even worse, it was later revealed the plants had been forging international cigarette brands without permission and selling them in Jordan and abroad.

The case first surfaced when Lower House deputy Musleh al-Tarawneh challenged the government of newly appointed Omar al-Razzaz on July 16 to investigate how what he called “influential parties” had managed to facilitate the operation of a cigarette plant that was forging known brands under the eyes of the authorities and had been active for years.

The case, popularly named the “cigarette scandal,” enraged public opinion and forced Razzaz to form a ministerial committee to follow up on the case and examine all details. The case focused attention on what has become the main issue for Jordanians: public corruption in the kingdom.