The Casablanca Court of Appeals judge ordered Jonathan Harroch, owner of the gym franchise City Club group, to be detained at Ain Sebaa Oukacha prison early Wednesday morning.
Harroch is accused of human trafficking, exploiting vulnerable women for prostitution, possessing and using hard drugs, and inciting prostitution.
During a lengthy interrogation, the judge dropped a bad check charge after Harroch reached an agreement with the check owners. Harroch was arrested on Saturday with 2.5 grams of cocaine and two young women at a Casablanca hotel. The judge released the women, considering them victims in the case.