Morocco Ranks in Top-10 for Cannabis Seizure, Production

Rabat – Moroccan authorities seized approximately 300 tons of cannabis plant in 2019, ranking the North African country sixth in the world for the quantity of the psychoactive substance seized. 

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has published its latest annual World Drug Report, providing an in-depth analysis of the global drug market and its effects on society worldwide.

The United States seized the largest quantity of cannabis herb in 2019, amounting to over 400 tons. Paraguay ranked second, followed by Colombia, India, and then Nigeria. Morocco ranked sixth.

The largest quantity of cannabis plants seized came from the US, which constituted around 60% of global seizures. South America accounted for 34% of global seizures, while North America was responsible for 17%.

“Of the 10 countries worldwide reporting the seizure of the largest quantities of cannabis herb, 7 were located in the Americas,” notes the study.

Read also: Morocco’s House of Councilors Passes Cannabis Legalization Bill

In terms of cannabis resin, commonly known as hashish, Spain ranks first in global seizures, intercepting approximately 350 tons of the resin plant.. Morocco ranks second, with over 300 tons seized, followed by Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Morocco is also the world’s biggest producer of resin, responsible, as the country of origin, for more than 20% of all global hashish seizures between 2015 and 2019.

“Authorities reported some 21,000 ha under cannabis cultivation in 2019 (mostly grown in the Rif area), down from 25,000 ha in 2018,” according to the report. It also notes that Moroccan hashish appears to primarily supply the North African, Western, and Central European markets.

It is common for Moroccan cannabis resin to enter the European Union through Spain, then travel to either France, the Netherlands, or other neighboring nations. “For years, including over the period 2015–2019, Spain has been identified by other European countries as the principal country of departure and transit of cannabis resin.”