Morocco arrests French man wanted by Interpol over alleged online fraud

14:16

By: Sahili Aya

Morocco arrests French man wanted by Interpol over alleged online fraud

Moroccan authorities have arrested a 42-year-old French national at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca after discovering that he was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by French judicial authorities.

The arrest was carried out on Monday, August 10, by officers from Morocco’s national security services at the Casablanca airport. An identity check against Interpol’s databases reportedly confirmed that the man was wanted internationally under a Red Notice issued at the request of the French National Central Bureau in Paris.

Suspect allegedly linked to online fraud network

According to preliminary information from the investigation, the man is suspected of being involved in a criminal network accused of carrying out online scams.

Investigators allege that he targeted several victims through the internet by presenting himself as a seller of specialized computers supposedly capable of mining cryptocurrencies.

The alleged scheme reportedly enabled the suspect to collect more than €454,000 from victims.

The authorities have not indicated whether the alleged victims were located exclusively in France or in several countries. The precise scale of the network and the suspect’s alleged role remain subject to the judicial proceedings.

Extradition procedure initiated

Following his arrest, the French national was placed under an extradition procedure ordered by the competent Moroccan prosecutor’s office.

Morocco’s Interpol National Central Bureau in Rabat, which operates under the General Directorate of National Security, has notified its counterpart in France of the arrest.

The next stages of the case will therefore depend on the applicable extradition process and judicial cooperation between the two countries.

International cooperation at the centre of the case

The arrest illustrates the role of international police cooperation in cases involving suspected cross-border crime.

Interpol Red Notices are used to request the location and provisional arrest of individuals sought by a member country, pending possible extradition or other legal proceedings. Such notices are an important mechanism for authorities dealing with suspects who travel between jurisdictions.

For Moroccan security services, the operation also forms part of broader efforts to identify and arrest individuals wanted internationally in connection with transnational criminal cases.

The suspect remains subject to judicial proceedings, and the allegations against him have not been finally established by a court.