The operation followed a tragedy after an inflatable boat carrying around 94 sub-Saharan irregular migrants capsized off Nador’s coast early on Monday, December 16.
Rabat – Moroccan police aborted an irregular migration attempt in the north-eastern city of Nador on Monday evening, December 16.
Police arrested 25 sub-Saharan would-be undocumented migrants, the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) said in a statement.
Security services also arrested the main suspect, who organizes irregular migration operations. Police had previously put out a warrant for the suspect, the statement added.
During the operation, police seized vests and inner tubes. Police put the suspects in custody for further investigation to arrest all accomplices involved.
The police conducted the operation on the same day that security services rescued 70 sub-Saharan nationals who were on board an inflatable boat carrying around 94 irregular migrants from sub-Saharan countries. The operation took place early Monday, December 16 off Nador’s coast after the boat capsized.
Seventeen people are still missing.
Read Also: Seven Irregular Immigrants Die Off Nador Coast, 17 Still Missing
Yesterday’s raid is part of Morocco’s approach to fight against undocumented migration.
Morocco is both a transit and home for sub-Saharan migrants and refugees who wanted to settle in the North African country.
The Moroccan government said in August that Moroccan authorities aborted 57,000 irregular migration attempts in 2019.
In 2013, Morocco adopted a migratory policy seeking to address the issue of migration in accordance with human rights standards.
Migrants, who refuse to go back to their countries of origin, also have the opportunity to regularize their status.
According to the Director of Migration and Border Surveillance at Morocco’s Ministry of Interior Khalid Zerouali, “85% of the requests for regularization of stay have been accepted.”
In his speeches, including a message to the African Union (AU) Summit in 2018, King Mohammed VI said that migration should be seen as a “natural phenomenon” and should be celebrated.
“We should adopt a positive stance on the issue of migration by highlighting the humanistic rationale of shared responsibility and solidarity,” said the King.
