Casablanca – Moroccan authorities have arrested a 27-year-old Swedish national in Tangier who was wanted internationally by Swedish authorities over suspected involvement in international drug trafficking, psychotropic substance trafficking, and the illegal possession of automatic firearms.
The suspect was arrested on Monday by officers from Morocco’s National Brigade of Judicial Police, according to Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN). His identity check through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) database confirmed that he was the subject of a Red Notice issued at the request of Stockholm’s National Central Bureau.
The suspect was subsequently placed under extradition procedures. Morocco’s National Central Bureau in Rabat, which operates under the DGSN, notified its Swedish counterpart of the arrest as part of the process.
The case comes as security cooperation between Morocco and Sweden has expanded in recent years, particularly over organized crime and suspects operating across borders.
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In April, Moroccan police arrested another 27-year-old Swedish national at an airport near Tangier after he had been internationally wanted for around a year.
Anders Wiberg, head of the Swedish Police Authority’s international unit, described the cooperation with Morocco in that case as good, saying it was part of joint efforts against drug-related crime.
Swedish police have also stressed Morocco’s growing importance in efforts to track down Swedish criminal suspects hiding abroad.
In April, Swedish and Moroccan authorities further strengthened their security partnership through a new declaration of intent covering cooperation against organized and cross-border crime.
Swedish police said the cooperation had already produced concrete results, with several wanted individuals arrested in Morocco.
Swedish National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh described Morocco as an “important partner” in the fight against organized crime, while Deputy National Police Commissioner Stefan Hector said cross-border cooperation provides a strategic advantage in pursuing criminal actors operating abroad.
Moroccan authorities said Monday’s arrest reflects the country’s continued efforts to activate international security cooperation mechanisms, particularly in locating and arresting individuals wanted internationally in cases involving transnational crime.
