Over one tonne of highly concentrated cocaine seized, seven people arrested

Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) has seized 1.004 tonne of highly-concentrated cocaine concealed in a Morocco-registered truck and arrested seven people suspected of links to an international drug smuggling network active in cocaine smuggling between Morocco, Latin America and Europe.

This operation, which took place on the basis of accurate information provided by the general directorate for national territory surveillance, led to the seizure of two rubber boats, a GPS device, a hydraulic engine and two four-wheel drive vehicles, BCIJ said in a statement, adding that the operation’s mastermind and six other people with criminal records have been arrested on Saturday.

According to the same source, the drug seized was smuggled by sea from a Latin American country by a commercial vessel before being unloaded in the territorial waters of the Kingdom and then transported onboard a fishing vessel to the coast of El Jadida as a first stage, and then shipped to the beach opposite the Bounaim forest by rubber boats, before being transported by land on a truck intended to transport vegetables.

Results of forensic testing conducted on samples of the cocaine seized show that the drug is highly-concentrated, the source pointed out.

The suspects were remanded in custody to complete the probe led under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor, while investigations are underway to determine the regional and international ramifications of this criminal network as well as its possible links to international mafias and south-American cartels.