Rabat – A Moroccan military unit foiled an irregular migration attempt on January 4 in Guelmim, southern Morocco.
The security services arrested 26 would-be migrants. The migrants were all of Moroccan nationality, including four minors and two women.
The migrants were on an inflatable boat, a military source has confirmed.
The source said that the operation is part of Morocco’s efforts to address the issue of irregular migration.
Security services seized life jackets, a compass and bottles, some of which were filled with gasoline.
Authorities opened an investigation to shed further light in the case and arrest organizers of the irregular migration network.
On January 2, Police in Tan-Tan, southern Morocco, another attempt at irregular migration.
Security services arrested 13 would-be migrants, ten of whom are from sub-Saharan countries.
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Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) said in December 2019 that police arrested 990 individuals suspected of being linked to 509 criminal networks, suspected of theft on public highways.
They also arrested 505 organizers of undocumented migration who were involved in 62 criminal networks that traffick people.
Last year, operations against irregular migration resulted in the arrest of 27,317 would-be migrants, including 20,141 of foreign nationality. Moroccans represented 26% of those arrested while trying to migrate without documents.
