Rabat - The Central Bureau of Judiciary Investigations, an arm of the Department of territory surveillance, dismantled on Friday an international drug trafficking gang, composed of four people. The criminal gang is believed to have links with the so-called Islamic State, known as ISIS.
Rabat – The Central Bureau of Judiciary Investigations, an arm of the Department of territory surveillance, dismantled on Friday an international drug trafficking gang, composed of four people. The criminal gang is believed to have links with the so-called Islamic State, known as ISIS.
This criminal network consists of four people, two of which are of European nationalities, according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior.
Investigations found that the band which was active in drug trafficking and in money laundering in the northern cities of Nador, Al Hoceima and Tangier had ties with foreign extremists and fighters of ISIS on the Syrian-Iraqi borders.
The suspects will stand trial after completion of the investigation, supervised by the competent attorney’s office.
In recent years, Morocco has been at the forefront of the global counterterrorism strategy. Its expertise in the field and its active collaboration with its European partners has played a pivotal role in thwarting an important number of terrorist attacks on European and Moroccan soils.
This strategy has taken a new dimension following the Paris terrorist attacks last November. Moroccan authorities have set up crisis cells at police headquarters of major Moroccan cities. These units are ready to receive alerts and coordinate with the General Directorate of National Security in case of a terrorist threat.
According to Mustapha Khalfi, Moroccan Minister of communication and government spokesperson, Morocco dismantled 140 terrorist cells between 2002 and 2015. In addition, 15 terrorist cells were dismantled during the first 9 months of 2015.
