The General Directorate of National Territorial Surveillance (DGST) in Morocco explained that the investigation that began after the recent operation aims to identify all national and international participants in an alleged criminal network, whose modus operandi included using beaches near Casablanca to export illicit materials via sea routes and rubber boats. Moroccan media reported that the Moroccan authorities announced the arrest of eight people, including two women between the ages of 32 and 60, as part of an operation carried out on Thursday.
According to published information, security forces intercepted more than 16 tons of hashish and about 149,000 euros (1.6 million dirhams), in addition to a logistical arsenal that included six rubber boats, eight engines, four barrels of gasoline, mobile phones, and GPS devices. According to what was reported by the media, the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance explained that the dismantled organization specialized in international drug trafficking, exploiting its arrival on the coast of Casablanca as a starting point for smuggling activities across the sea.
The security apparatus indicated that the eight detainees are still in police custody, while investigations continue under the supervision of the Public Prosecution. This stage seeks to uncover the network’s possible links with criminal structures in other countries and arrest more people linked to the case, as highlighted by the General Directorate of National Territorial Surveillance in its official statement published on the social networking site Facebook.
The media reported that the authorities had strengthened surveillance in the coastal area due to the increasing use of rubber boats for the clandestine transport of drugs via sea routes. Agents involved in the operation noted that the infrastructure seized was made up of specialized equipment, reflecting the advanced logistics used in large-scale cannabis smuggling.
The intervention against this network falls within the framework of the initiatives of Moroccan agencies to combat international drug trafficking and its repercussions in the region and abroad. Media outlets reported that the seizure of large quantities of hashish, in addition to the arrest of suspects and the confiscation of materials and funds associated with it, represents progress in the fight against organized crime that operates from Moroccan territory through international projections.
The official statement confirmed that the final measures will seek to clarify all the connections of this network, whether inside or outside the country, and will proceed with the arrest of all persons involved. According to the information released, the competent public prosecutor’s office remains responsible for supervising the process and subsequent judicial procedures.