True to their internationally recognized expertise and outstanding performance, the Kingdom’s security services continue to deploy great efforts to thwart attempts of drug trafficking, irregular migration, and more, to protect public order, safety, and security. From October 15th to October 25th, Morocco’s law enforcement was able to arrest 46 people involved in drug trafficking with a total quantity of over 896.3 kgs of drugs, with 10 kgs of Kif, 4,6 kgs of raw leaf Tobacco, 2,319 kgs Cocaine, 852,42435 kgs of cannabis resin (chira), and 6690 psychotropic tablets.
On irregular migrations, over 781 prospective irregular migrants, Moroccan, Sub-Saharan, Senegalese, Malian, Sudanian, Chadian, and Nigerian nationals, were arrested at different checkpoints in the Kingdom. Weapons were also seized by the authorities, including 4 cartridges (12 mm), a loaded pistol, a box of 460 balls, 6 stud cartridges, 9 rifles, 3 loaded pistols, 2 boxes of balls in plastic, a toy pistol, 2000 balls “Kalashnikov, 6mm, 0.20g”, 42 smoke grenades.
During this period, 8 weird deaths, 2 disappearances, 10 murders, 6 suicides, and 7 suicide attempts, took place in several regions of the Kingdom.
Drug Trafficking
Ibn Batouta Airport: On October 12th, a quantity of 260 grams of cannabis resin (chira), that was directed to an English citizen was seized. It was concealed among articles of handicraft. On October 17th, police services arrested a man, before his departure for Brussels, found in possession of 16 grams of chira, hidden under his clothing.
Tanger-Med Port: On October 7th, Spanish authorities of Algesiras port arrested a man whose search allowed the seizure of a quantity of 250 kg of chira. On October 13th, the police services arrested two men, during their departure from Algesiras, whose radiological examination at the hospital “Mohammed V” of Tangier revealed that they carry capsules of chira in their stomachs. On the same day, police services arrested a driver, departing to algesiras, whose vehicle search allowed the seizure of 4.5 kgs of chira. On October 17th, police and customs services arrested a man as he was departing to France, whose vehicle search allowed the discovery of 52 kgs of chira. On October 22nd, police services arrested, at the exit of the Kingdom, a man, whose vehicle search allowed the seizure of 29 kgs of chira.
Youssoufia: On October 13th, police services arrested two drug traffickers, whose search allowed the seizure of a quantity of 11 kgs of chira.
Zaio: On October 13th, police services arrested three men, whose search allowed the seizure of 0.5 grams of cocaine and one gram of chira hidden under the clothes of one of them and 0.5 grams of cocaine in possession of another.
Khouribga: On October 14th, police services arrested a woman and three men, one of whom is a minor, for “throwing stones and complicity in the marketing of drugs” and for having attacked the police during an operation of arrest of a man, subject of several search notices for illegal drug trafficking, on the run. The search carried out at the homes of the interested parties allowed the seizure of 315 grams of chira, 8 grams of capsules of cocaine, an electronic scale, and 10 liters of brandy.
On October 15th, police services arrested three men, who were the subject of several search notices issued against them by the police services and the royal gendarmerie for “Drug trafficking”. The search carried out in their homes resulted in the seizure of 9 grams of cocaine, a sum of money of 5,300 MAD, a false mineral plate, 6 mobiles, an electric baton, and two large cutlasses. Two men were discovered to be henchmen of another man jailed in the prison of Khouribga following his conviction in May 2019 for 7 years on charges of drug trafficking. This latter continued to manage from his place of detention of drug trafficking operations, using the fixed telephones of the prison, to which he has access at any time of the day without restriction. (Below is a photo illustrating the objects seized during this operation).
Jerada: On October 16th, auxiliary forces discovered 7 parcels of chira with a total weight of 175 kg.
Tinghir: On October 16th, police services arrested, at the exit of the Kingdom, bound for Nouakchott, a Tunisian national, whose control by “Body scan” revealed the presence of foreign bodies in his stomach.
Berrechid: On October 16th, the royal gendarmerie arrested two brothers transporting 311 grams of cocaine and 64 kg of chira.
Erfoud: On October 16th, police services arrested a man found in possession of 450 grams of chira, 10 kgs of kif in stems, 2.5 kgs of raw leaf tobacco, and a sum of money of 650 DHS.
Rabat: On October 16th, police services arrested two men accused of having proceeded to the distribution, during a ceremony at a higher education institution on the occasion of the start of the school year, cigarettes coated with chira and portions of chocolate containing hard drugs (ecstasy), which caused discomfort to a female student who was transferred to a hospital.
Driouch: On October 19th, a parcel of chira totaling a weight of 10 kg was cast up by the sea.
Mohammed V Airport: On October 19th, police services arrested a man, at the time of his departure to Stockholm via Paris, found in possession of 100 grams of chira, dissimulated in its intimate parts. On October 20th, police services arrested a Senegalese national, at his arrival from Conakry, found in possession of a quantity of 1,780 kg of cocaine, hidden under his clothes. On October 23rd, police services arrested a woman found in possession of 5.925 grams of chira, concealed in her luggage.
Berkane: On October 20th, auxiliary forces seized a parcel of chira with a total weight of 20 kgs, abandoned by its carrier before fleeing to an unknown.
Sidi Yahya: On October 20th, on denunciation, judicial police arrested a man whose house search allowed the seizure of 263 psychotropic tablets, the sum of 550 dirhams, three cell phones, and two cutlasses.
Nador Port: On October 20th, French authorities arrested a man, transporting a quantity of 60 kgs of powdered chira concealed in the cushions of a couch. On October 21st, police services arrested, at their exit from the Kingdom, two men, whose search allowed the seizure of a quantity of 7 grams of chira in the first and 24.4 grams in the second.
Fnideq: On October 22nd, based on information provided by DGST, a raid at the house of a man allowed his arrest and the seizure of 144 grams of cocaine, 6286 psychotropic tablets, the sum of 107.000 DHS, and 5 cell phones. Police services also arrested two men who buy psychotropic drugs from the first man. They were in possession of the sum of 88.900 DHS.
Figuig: On October 23rd, auxiliary forces seized 6 parcels of chira totaling 167 kgs, while the carriers of the aforementioned goods managed to flee.
Dakhla: On October 22nd, police services arrested a man, found in possession of a plate of chira totaling 1.6 kgs, whereas the search carried out has his residence, allowed the seizure of 70 other plates of this drug weighing 5.5 kgs, as well as 135 psychotropic tablets.
Boujdour: On October 21st, police services arrested two men, found in possession of 390 grams of cannabis, 100 grams of tobacco, 8 grams of chira, 6 psychotropic tablets, 2 bottles of “Vodka”, the sum of 200 DH,S and 3 cell phones.
Tifelt: On October 20th, prison officials seized 1 gram of chira hidden in a blanket given to a prisoner by his father.
Marrakech: On October 21st, the royal gendarmerie arrested a man whose vehicle search allowed the seizure of 66 grams of cocaine, 1.5 kg of chira, and 2 kg of tobacco.
Errachidia: On October 20th, the royal gendarmerie arrested a man following a complaint recently filed against him for “drug trafficking” by an auxiliary of authority.
Irregular Immigration
The security services arrested 781 prospective irregular migrants at different border crossings and cities in Morocco. The prospective irregular migrants are Moroccan, Sub-Saharan, Senegalese, Malian, Sudanian, Chadian, and Nigerian nationals.
Seizure of Weapons or Prohibited Items for Terrorist or Malicious Acts
Khouribga: On October 14th, police services seized four cartridges (12 mm), carried by a man who was supplying supporters of a football team that had a game the same day. The verifications undertaken allowed them to know that the car and the ammunition in question belong to the father of the aforementioned driver.
Nador Airport: On October 16th, customs seized a loaded pistol and a box of 460 balls, found in the possession of a man, having declared to have bought the aforementioned pistol in France. On October 20th, police services arrested a man during his entry to the Kingdom, in possession of an alarm rifle and 6 stud cartridges.
Tanger-med Port: On October 20th, the police and customs services, arrested a man, as he was entering the Kingdom, found in possession of 9 rifles and 2 loaded pistols, as well as two boxes of balls in plastic.
Nador Port: On October 20th, customs services arrested a man, during his entry to the Kingdom from Almeria, and seized a toy pistol as well as a box of 2000 balls “Kalashnikov, 6mm, 0. 20g”, hidden in his suitcase.
Sale: On October 24th, police services arrested two men during a soccer match in possession of 42 smoke grenades.
Violence Against Women and Minors
Tangier: On October 16th, a man turned himself over to the police stating that he murdered a night watchman. The latter expressed his wish to practice sport in his company and asked the murderer to accompany him to his residence to change. The victim proceeded to harass the man who then fatally stabbed him.
Unusual Deaths and Disappearances
Taounate: On October 13th, a common criminal, suffering from asthma, put under a detention warrant at the local prison, died during his evacuation.
Casablanca: On October 14th, the bodies of a woman and her two sons, both mentally and physically handicapped, were discovered in a state of advanced decomposition in Sidi Moumen.
Tangier: On October 15th, the royal gendarmerie found a corpse of a man at the beach.
Rabat: On October 22nd, the body of a fetus wrapped in a sheet was discovered in a garbage bin in the neighborhood “Yaacoub el Mansour.” On October 21st, firefighters rescued a 16-year-old girl at the municipal beach of Rabat who was sent to the hospital, where she arrived deceased.
Khemisset: On October 16th, hunters discovered during a hunting party in a forest, a male corpse in a state of advanced decomposition.
Jerada: On October 21st, a part of a human skeleton was discovered by the royal gendarmerie.
Tiznit: On October 13th, a couple went to the police to report the disappearance of their minor children aged 13 and 14 years old under undetermined circumstances.
Territorial Integrity
Casablanca: On October 13th, police services and the local authority went to the hypermarket where they discovered at the level of the storage depot 29 french schoolbooks containing the geographical map of Morocco cut off from its Sahara with the mention “Western Sahara.” These manuals, a batch of dictionaries and history and geography books were not yet on sale. They were ticketed by the local authority, before being destroyed on the spot by the management of the hypermarket.
Thefts and muggings
Nouaceur: On October 13th, the judicial police arrested four men following a complaint filed by a man in which he accused 12 members of the ultras “Winners” of “Theft, assault and violence”, of which he was a victim.
Fez: On October 13th, a man filed a complaint to the police to report the theft by breaking and entering of 2 televisions, 2 office computers, and a payment device “E.P.T” (Electronic Payment Terminal) from the supermarket he works at. On October 23rd, a brawl took place between traditional Salafi and an ex-convict who exchanged blows with the help of bladed weapons having caused them light wounds at the level of various parts of their body.
Errachidia: On October 13th, directors of two schools filed complaints against unknown persons, for “Attempted theft by burglary” perpetrated in these two schools. This caused damage to school equipment and cabinets reserved for educational staff. On October 20th, police services arrested a student for having hit, at the level of the face with a chair, the general supervisor of the institute. This is in reaction to the student’s prohibition of access to the establishment due to a dress code violation (sandals).
Marrakech: On October 14th, a cab driver filed a complaint against a foreigner speaking Italian having given him a false bill of (20 euros).
Rabat: On October 16th, a woman filed a complaint against two men, who assaulted her, before stealing her wallet with violence. The police services have carried out a sweep around the place of this crime having allowed the neutralization of the assailants. On October 19th, the police services arrested a male minor his female accomplice, authors of the act of aggression, with the help of a white weapon, of which a female correspondent was the victim. On October 22nd, in the margin of a match of soccer, police services arrested 75 minors of age who were immediately released, while 23 people were arrested for various offenses such as “Detention of narcotics”, “Detention and consumption of the glue to inhalation”, “Detention of smoke grenade” and “Detention of falsified tickets of the entrance to the stadium.”
Kenitra: On October 17th, members of the Moroccan Organization of Human Rights and the Fight Against Depravity filed a complaint against a famous Moroccan singer for “Death threats against police officers in Kenitra”, which were behind the arrest of his wife and her conviction to 9 months imprisonment. On October 20th, police services issued a report on a robbery with assault, during which the night watchman of this company, said he was attacked by three unknown persons with an iron bar causing him light injuries to the forehead and neck, before tying him up and seizing a ton and a half of copper cables, the sum of 220 DHS and two cell phones. They fleed later on.
Khenifra: On October 20th, the royal gendarmerie arrested an official caught red-handed in corruption. The arrest of this official follows a complaint filed by a man after he denounced this official for corruption via the green number, accusing him of having demanded the sum of 1000 DHS to deliver him an authorization of transport of wood to his depot.
Sale: On October 24th, police services arrested a man caught red-handed in the theft of a handbag.
Larache: On October 23rd, a brawl occurred between an independent actor of the local “Hirak” and Nassar Zefzafi support and a local secretary of the PSU in Larache. The first said to the second that he was a snitch at the service of the “Makhzen”, following which the latter struck a blow with a glass in the face of his antagonist, causing a slight wound.
Berrechid: On October 23rd, a theft occurred within a Jewish cemetery. The perpetrators seized an iron chest reserved for the collection of donations from visitors.
Casablanca: On October 23rd, an owner and cab driver filed a complaint against two unknown persons who stabbed him with a knife, before seizing his cab and the sum of 180 DH. The sweep conducted by police services found the cab stolen near a vacant lot. This accident caused the death of two people and injuries to four others.
Murders
Tangier: On October 13th, a man was found murdered in his home, with his corpse bearing wounds caused by a sharp object at the skull and chest level. On October 14th, following a brawl between two ex-convicts, one of them was stabbed fatally, while they were both under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.
Kenitra: On October 13th, police services arrested a male doctor, wanted since 26/09/2022, for “Involuntary manslaughter” with instructions “Prohibited exit from morocco” and “To be arrested and placed under an arrest warrant.” He was hospitalized at a clinic because of cardiac disease.
Kelaa Sraghna: On October 15th, the corpse of a man, bearing wounds on the level of the skull and the thorax, was discovered. The royal gendarmerie arrested two men and two women, one of the women admitted having taken part in a drinking session with the deceased, before they left the premises, leaving her alone with one of the men. They said they were surprised by an unknown person who struck the dead with a sharp tool.
Taourirt: On October 20th, a man stabbed another fatally in front of Mosque Hassan II. The victim was said to have an extramarital relationship with the murderer’s wife. The latter turned himself over to the police.
Fez: On October 20th, a man convicted of drug trafficking was stabbed fatally at the level of the neck as he was exiting a mosque. This was committed by an unknown person who is still on the run.
Marrakech: On October 20th, the police services received a complaint stating that a disgusting smell was coming from an apartment. The police discovered a male corpse in advanced decomposition lying on the floor and whose hands and feet were bound with pieces of fabric and plastic ropes, while the head was covered with a cap. The police also found 2 large empty gas cylinders, whose taps were, packs of cigarettes, bottles of alcohol, and a small pod of chira, in addition to a mural inscription in English and Moroccan dialect “Butane no fire bach 3arftou hadchi.”
Hoceima: On October 23rd, the royal gendarmerie arrested a man having stabbed his brother fatally following a family dispute.
Suicides
Sidi Slimane: On October 14th, a man suffering from mental disorders and anxiety attacks committed suicide by throwing himself in front of the train.
Oulmes: On October 15th, a woman committed suicide by hanging herself with a rope attached to the window of her room at her parental home.
El Jadida: On October 17th, a common criminal serving a sentence of 6 years committed suicide in the toilets of the prison.
Skhirat: On October 17th, a man committed suicide by hanging himself with the help of a rope attached to the roof of an apartment under construction.
Fez: On October 19th, a man committed suicide inside his home with the help of a rope attached to the grill of his bedroom window. On the same day, a man suffering from psychic disorders committed suicide in the psychiatric hospital by hanging with the help of a rope attached to the grill of his bedroom window.
Suicide Attempts
Casablanca: On October 12th, a Canadian national, suffering from a nervous breakdown, attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself from the 2nd floor of a hotel.
Nador: On October 13th, a woman tried to immolate herself with the help of fuel as a sign of protest against a judgment pronounced against her regarding the non-authenticity of her marriage certificate, in favor of the man with whom she was supposedly married and had a child.
Moulay Yaacoub: On October 15th, a common criminal detained in prison tried to commit suicide with the help of his shirt that he hung on the window of his cell, before being rescued by his fellow inmates.
Jerada: On October 15th, a man tried to commit suicide by spraying himself with hydrochloric acid.
Benguerir: On October 16th, an ex-convict tried to immolate himself by fire, by spraying himself with a quantity of gasoline.
Sidi Slimane: On October 20th, a woman came to the provincial hospital and admitted having swallowed a quantity of rat poison.
Oujda: On October 23rd, following a family dispute, a male minor tried to commit suicide by immolation through fire by spraying himself with a quantity of gasoline.