Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Police in the city of Nador, eastern Morocco, arrested on Saturday three suspects for their alleged involvement in a case of fraud and the organization of irregular migration.
The suspects are aged between 26 and 35, the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) reported.
Police made the arrests after seven candidates for irregular migration filed a complaint against the suspects and claimed to be “victims of fraud,” the DGSN said.
The suspects promised to take the candidates to Spain for MAD 30,000 ($3,276) per person.
Investigation and searches enabled police to seize 10 traditional boats, including one equipped with an engine.
Police put all of the suspects in custody for further investigation.
The operation in Nador is part of Morocco’s approach to strengthening measures against irregular migration and human trafficking.
Morocco’s police, in collaboration with other security services, carry out similar operations weekly, sometimes indicating a surge of irregular migration attempts.
One of the operations was on Friday, when police in the city of Guelmim in southern Morocco arrested five suspects aged between 17 and 37 for their alleged involvement in irregular migration.
Official statistics for the number of irregular migration attempts Moroccan police aborted will be revealed in a few months.
In December 2019, DGSN’s annual report said police arrested 27,317 would-be migrants that year. Moroccans represented 26% of those arrested trying to migrate without documents.
Morocco also aborted 74,000 irregular migration attempts last year.
