Drug trafficking via drones dismantled in Morocco’s Eastern region
Moroccan authorities have handed down heavy sentences against members of a criminal network that used drones to transport cannabis across the border into Algeria. The ruling, issued by the Criminal Chamber of the Oujda Court of Appeal, reflects the country’s increasing vigilance against technologically advanced trafficking operations.
Of the ten suspects arrested during the investigation, nine were convicted, while one mechanic was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Sentences ranged from two years for an intermediary to eight years for two defendants, and up to ten years for six others considered central to the drone-based drug smuggling scheme.
A high-impact police operation
The dismantling of the network followed an extensive investigation by the National Brigade of Judicial Police (BNPJ), which monitored the suspects for weeks across Oujda, Beni Drar and Beni Khaled.
The decisive operation took place in late September, when officers from the Berkane Judicial Police, supported by the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), launched coordinated raids in Berkane and Ahfir. Nine people were arrested over the weekend of September 20–21, following the earlier capture of a wanted trafficker on September 15.
Searches in Ahfir led to the seizure of five drones, multiple spare batteries and nearly 10 kilograms of cannabis resin, providing clear evidence of a sophisticated logistical setup.
An innovative trafficking method
According to investigators, traffickers loaded the drones with small bundles of hashish and programmed them to fly low and cross the border into Algeria, avoiding ground patrols. This method allowed fast, discreet and repeated deliveries, demonstrating how criminal groups are increasingly turning to advanced technology to evade surveillance.
Security forces adapt to new challenges
The case highlights the rapid evolution of drug-smuggling techniques in the region, as well as the strong response of Moroccan security services. Authorities continue to tighten border surveillance and adapt their strategies to counter drone-assisted trafficking, which has also been observed on routes toward Spain.
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