Major cannabis bust near Rabat highlights ongoing drug trafficking challenges

Thursday 06 March 2025 - 09:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Major cannabis bust near Rabat highlights ongoing drug trafficking challenges

Moroccan police in Temara, close to Rabat, successfully thwarted a significant attempt to smuggle over four tons of cannabis on Tuesday evening. This operation resulted in the arrest of five suspects, aged between 24 and 50, believed to be part of an organized network involved in drug trafficking across international borders.

The operation was executed based on intelligence provided by Morocco’s General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) to the national police in Temara. During the coordinated effort with the Royal Gendarmerie in Skhirat, authorities seized 109 bundles of cannabis, amounting to a total of four tons and 321 kilograms.

In addition to the cannabis, four vehicles were impounded, and cash believed to be linked to drug dealings was confiscated. The arrested suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue to uncover further accomplices in this operation.

This bust is part of Morocco's broader strategy to combat drug trafficking. According to the latest annual report from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN), Moroccan authorities handled over 92,300 drug-related cases last year alone. Among the 119,692 arrests made throughout the year, 287 involved foreign nationals, and authorities confiscated a staggering 123 tons and 971 kilograms of cannabis in various operations.

In addition to cannabis, the previous year's seizures included 1.9 tons of cocaine, 16.5 kilograms of heroin, and more than 1.4 million psychotropic substances. These figures underscore the persistent issue of drug trafficking in the region and the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address it.