Rabat – Moroccan police aborted an irregular migration attempt on Tuesday, October 30. The operation led to the arrest of 23 would-be migrants on the shore of the Bouregreg river in Rabat.
The arrest was in collaboration with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST).
The migrants were all of Moroccan nationality, according to a statement from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN).
Police arrested two suspects on suspicion of organizing the migration attempt. Five other suspects are believed to have acted as intermediaries with migrants.
During the operation, police seized a zodiac, three cars, a scooter, and a large knife.
Security services suspected that the migrants used the equipment for human trafficking.
The DGSN staff put the suspects in custody for further investigation.
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Morocco has been intensifying its efforts to combat irregular migration in recent years, with several countries applauding its approach.
Earlier in October, the European Commission issued a report, indicating that Morocco’s efforts helped reduce migrant arrivals in Spain by half.
The mission said that Morocco’s approach prevented thousands of departures by land and the rescue of dozens of other migrants “who were returned to Moroccan territory”.
Morocco’s government has said that security services aborted 57,000 irregular migration attempts in 2019.
