Moroccan customs foil cocaine smuggling attempt in southern Morocco

Moroccan customs seized 38kg of cocaine at the Guergarat border post in southern Morocco.

The drug was concealed in a vehicle with a foreign plate, customs administration said.

In January, a joint operation between the National Security services and Customs at the El Guergarat border post, south of Dakhla, led to the seizure of nearly 363 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs were hidden in a compartment within a vehicle arriving from a sub-Saharan African country.

West Africa has increasingly become a significant hub for cocaine smuggling, with the region serving as a key transit point for drugs destined for Europe. The Sahel, in particular, has emerged as an epicenter for drug trafficking, exacerbating existing challenges in the region.

The region’s strategic location, coupled with weak governance and porous borders, makes it an attractive route for traffickers. Cocaine shipments from Latin America often arrive by sea or air, are broken down into smaller consignments, and then transported to Europe3. This illicit trade not only fuels local corruption and violence but also poses significant security threats, potentially funding terrorist groups and destabilizing the region further14.