Casablanca Police Thwart Trafficking Operation of 25,000 Ecstasy Tablets

Rabat – Police in Casablanca aborted on Friday an international drug trafficking operation of 25,000 Ecstasy tablets, a statement from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) said today.

DGSN said the operation took place in collaboration with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST).

#مكافحة_ترويج_المؤثرات_العقلية
الدار البيضاء..إجهاض عملية للتهريب الدولي للمخدرات وحجز 25 ألف قرص من مخدر الإكستازي، في عملية مشتركة بين الشرطة القضائية ومصالح المديرية العامة لمراقبة التراب الوطني. pic.twitter.com/Q3xHtmPNCp

— DGSN MAROC (@DGSN_MAROC) December 23, 2022

The seized Ecstasy tablets were in the possession of the driver of an international transport truck registered in Europe, said the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN), who added that the accused, who was smuggling the cargo from Spain, tried to hand it over to a second suspect in Casablanca.

During this operation, the police also seized the vehicle used in the international drug trafficking attempt.

Both the driver and the second suspect are being held in police custody, pending an investigation by the public prosecutor’s office shed more light on the two defendants’ apparent involvement with an international trafficking ring.

The operation is part of Morocco’s efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks.

In August, Moroccan security services at the Tangier-Med port foiled an international drug trafficking attempt involving 17,970 psychotropic tablets (Rivotril).

In 2022, according to the latest DGSN annual report, joint field interventions by the police and the DGST allowed for the processing of 92,713 cases, including the arrest of 120,725 people who were involved in drug-related cases.

Police seized 98,543 tonnes of cannabis in 2022, a 49% decrease from the previous year.

This year, police also seized 190.18 kilograms of cocaine, representing an 87% decrease from last year. In addition, police seized 2.82 kilograms of heroin, a 5% dip from the previous year.

DGSN provided concerning data regarding psychotropic tablets, however, noting an increase of 85% in the quantity of ecstasy and captagon pills seized in the past year.