Morocco: Over 3 tons of cannabis seized in Casablanca port

Moroccan police announced this Thursday the seizure of more than three tons of cannabis at the Casablanca port and the arrest of several people involved in this major smuggling attempt.

The drugs were concealed in consumer goods destined for exports, said a press release issued by the National police. An investigation was opened to identify and bring all those responsible for this smuggling operation to justice.

According to official data, Moroccan authorities have seized over 192 tons of cannabis in 2021, a 12% decrease compared to 2020.

Last year, Morocco passed a law on the therapeutic use of cannabis and set up a national agency tasked with buying the plant from farmers and selling it to pharmaceutical firms.

The goal of the cannabis legalization law in Morocco is “to convert illicit crops that destroy the environment into sustainable legal activities that generate value, money and employment.”

The law limits cannabis cultivation to some regions only in northern Morocco and bans the use the plant for recreational purposes.