RABAT, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Morocco’s police arrested four suspects for their alleged involvement in a criminal network active in drug trafficking and psychotropic drugs.
The security operation took place on Tuesday and continued until Wednesday morning in Laayoune, a statement from the General Directorate of National Security said Friday.
Police identified a “refrigerated truck” at the entrance to the El Marsa zone around Laayoune, southern Morocco. During the operation, police seized two inflatable boats and four outboard motors, which Morocco’s security services suspected were intended for drug trafficking.
During the operation, police arrested the vehicle’s driver and his assistant.
Preliminary investigation enabled police to arrest two other suspects in a coastal area between Foum El Oued and Tarfaya in southern Morocco.
Police fired warning shots to repel the danger coming from a passenger of another vehicle who was resisting the security operation.
Search operations enabled police to seize 61 packs of drugs buried in the sand, with a total weight of 1.994 tonnes of cannabis resin intended for international drug trafficking from Morocco, in addition to another inflatable boat and other outboard motors
Police put the suspects aged from 27 to 59 in custody for preliminary investigation to determine their involvement in the case and to identify the national and international ramifications of the criminal activity, DGSN said.
The operation took part in collaboration with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST).
Morocco has not yet issued official statistics regarding seized drugs this year. Statistics from DGSN, however, show that security units’ operations enabled the police to seize 179,657 tons of cannabis and its derivatives in 2019.
The number represents an increase of 127 tonnes compared to the previous year.
Police also seized harder drugs, including 542,455 kilograms of cocaine, 7,196 kilograms of heroin, and 1,407,451 psychotropic tablets, including 974,983 ecstasy tablets imported from Europe. — NNN-AGENCIES
