Drug Trafficking: Five individuals, including two Algerians, arrested in Eastern Morocco
Five individuals, including two Algerians, were arrested Monday morning in the Moroccan eastern city of Oujda for their alleged involvement in a criminal network of international drug trafficking, National Police (DGSN) said in a statement.
The suspects were arrested in several simultaneous operations carried out in the city of Oujda, and neighboring Ahfir, Aïn Beni Mathar and Beni Adrar.
During the operations, police seized 334 kilograms of cannabis resin concealed in 12 packages.
Police also seized six cars and a sum of money which is “allegedly the result of international drug trafficking,” DGSN said in the statement.
Investigations are continuing to determine the possible ramifications of this criminal network, the statement said.
In February, police had arrested another Algerian suspect for his involvement in a drug trafficking network in eastern Morocco.
On Sunday, police, arrested near the Northeastern city of Nador, a man who was already wanted in Nador, Berkane, and Saidia for drug trafficking.
Security services found in the suspect’s car 75 doses of cocaine and a large amount of money, in both Moroccan dirham and foreign currencies.
The search of the suspect’s house enabled the seizure of 67 doses of cocaine, 400 grams of cannabis resin, and a large sum of money.
The operations are part of Morocco’s approach to combatting drug trafficking across the country.
Morocco was one of the countries that seized the most cannabis in 2018, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCP) said in its 2019 report.
According to the report, Morocco reported the seizure of “nearly 72 tons of cannabis resin, as well as of 252 tons of majoun, a consumable product consisting mostly of cannabis but that can also include other drugs, along with poppy seeds and other foodstuff.”
In 2019, DGSN said it seized a total of 179,657 tons of cannabis and its derivatives.
Police last year also seized hard drugs, including 542,455 kilograms of cocaine, 7,196 kilograms of heroin, and 1,407,451 psychotropic tablets.
