Morocco dismantles gang involved in illegal emigration, kidnapping and extortion

The royal gendarmerie has dismantled a gang involved in illegal emigration to Europe via Libya, and in the kidnapping of candidates, extortion, illicit financial transactions and money laundering, said, Friday, a statement by the royal gendarmerie.

Investigations, which started in September 2017 after the arrest by the royal gendarmerie in the city of Beni Mellal of two organizers of illegal emigration, revealed the involvement of a large network operating at national and international levels.

On the instructions of Beni Mellal's public prosecutor, the inquiry entrusted to the national brigade of the royal gendarmerie led to the arrest of five individuals, one of whom acted as an intermediary between the main organizers and the potential illegal emigrants.

It also revealed the involvement of a network of illicit financial transactions that collected funds from candidates and transferred them via the 'Haouala' system to Libya for the benefit of smugglers' networks to Italy, noted the statement, adding that the total number of financial transactions since 2015 amounts to 3,000 operations.

The investigations carried out in this regard led to the arrest of five persons, including a foreigner and the seizure of a sum of money of about 2,570,000 dirhams.

Furthermore, the suspects were getting additional sums of money from the families of the candidates held against their will in Libya on a promise to facilitate their passage to Europe, added the same source.

The public prosecutor’s office ordered the detention of all the arrested individuals, the seizure of money and the opening of anti-money laundering procedures, said the statement.