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Rabat – Moroccan police arrested a 34-year-old French citizen in Casablanca on Friday night. The man is suspected to be involved in running international drug trafficking networks.
The suspect’s apprehension was the result of an operation conducted by Morocco’s Research and Intervention Department, a unit within the National Judicial Police.
Prior to his arrest, authorities closely monitored multiple locations across Moroccan cities where the individual was believed to have been hiding.
According to a statement released by the General Directorate of National Security, the detained individual was the subject of a Red Notice issued by Interpol at the request of French judicial authorities.
The notice indicated suspicions of his involvement in managing several criminal networks engaged in international drug trafficking and money laundering activities.
Following his apprehension, the French suspect was placed under provisional custody pending extradition proceedings. He was scheduled to be presented before the public prosecutor in Casablanca on Saturday morning.
The news comes less than a week after Morocco’s police referred 30 suspects to the public prosecutor’s office in Nador for their alleged involvement in human and international drug trafficking.
The arrest is part of Morocco’s broader security strategy aiming to fight against drug trafficking. The annual report from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) in December last year indicated that the police recorded and processed 99,513 drug trafficking cases. Over the same period, 130,212 individuals were arrested for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking in 2023.
Meanwhile, Police seized 81 tonnes and 175 kilograms of cannabis, a 17% annual drop. In addition, security services seized nearly two tonnes of cocaine as well as six kilograms and 880 grams of heroin.
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