Police in the city of Meknes freed two individuals who were subject to abduction and torture by an individual suspected of human trafficking and irregular migration operations.
Police intervened after receiving information of alleged reports of an abduction of a person who was held captive by a suspect allegedly involved in general human trafficking operations.
Investigations enabled police to identify the location where the victim was held captive, which was in the basement of a villa in Meknes.
During the operation, police discovered that a second victim was held captive for about two months.
Police arrested the perpetrator of the acts while an investigation has been opened to uncover all the circumstances of the case.
Preliminary investigations show that the suspect is a 51-year-old Moroccan national who also holds a Swiss nationality.
Police have put the suspect in custody for further investigations. Initial findings show that the suspect motive is linked to acts of fraud in the context of irregular migration and human trafficking.
Last year, Moroccan police arrested around 28,863 irregular migrants, including 18,820 individuals of different foreign nationalities.
Additionally, 121 criminal networks were dismantled, and 594 organizers and mediators of migration were arrested, DGSN said.
Police also confiscated 707 documents and forged identity documents related to irregular migration cases. They also confiscated 215 boats, and 31 vessels used in organized irregular migration attempts.
