According to the DGSN, the campaign came after an increase in crime in the imperial city.
Rabat – An intensive law enforcement campaign in Fez led to the arrest of 2,008 suspects between August 18-23.
The number includes 696 suspects subject to national and local search warrants, as well as 1,312 people caught committing criminal acts.
Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security (DGSN) announced the figures in a press release on Sunday.
Judicial police of Fez launched the law enforcement campaign in collaboration with the National Brigade of Judicial Police (BNPJ) after noticing a recent increase in crime indicators in the city.
During the campaign, security services seized 76 knives of different sizes and 20.5 kilograms of cannabis resin. The suspects with knives possessed the weapons without valid reasons and allegedly intended to use them in criminal activities, the DGSN said.
According to the press release, the main objective of the law enforcement campaign is reinforcing the feeling of security among Fez residents.
Security services also recorded 1,904 violations relating to Morocco’s state of health emergency during the campaign. The offenses include movement to and from quarantined neighborhoods without authorization, opening businesses after the legally-mandated closing time, and not wearing face masks in public.
Finally, the campaign led to the registration of 3,573 traffic violations and the impoundment of 414 vehicles, the DGSN statement added.
At the end of the document, national security services pledged to strengthen their crime fighting operations and sanctions against state of emergency violators in order to guarantee the safety and security of citizens.
COVID-19 awareness campaign
In parallel with the law enforcement operations, Fez authorities recently launched a COVID-19 awareness campaign. The campaign came after the city recorded hundreds of new COVID-19 cases over several days.
The awareness efforts began in neighborhoods with high COVID-19 case counts before expanding to the entire city.
The campaign aims to alert Fez residents of the importance of preventive measures, such as wearing face masks in public.
Local authorities also distributed free face masks to vulnerable communities to help them comply with safety measures.
As of August 23, the Fez-Meknes region has recorded a total of 8,020 COVID-19 cases, with the majority in the city of Fez.
