Spain is now Morocco’s principal international partner in security cooperation in 2023, including operational and technical aspects of security, a Moroccan police source told Spanish News Agency EFE on Tuesday.
In its annual report released on December 26, Morocco’s National Police (DGSN) highlighted the importance of international security cooperation, specifically focusing on deepening collaboration with Spain.
The source emphasized that the frequency of cooperation with Spain has not only increased, but also that it has improved qualitatively, as communication channels with Madrid remain open. This enhanced collaboration has led to joint operations in both countries and extensive work by liaison officers from both Spain and Morocco.
“We have the largest network of liaison officers,” explained the source, which “facilitates contact between the Spanish and Moroccan security services.” Spain is the only country with which Morocco has a center for international police cooperation, facilitating real-time bilateral coordination, the source added.
Morocco-Spain police cooperation includes joint efforts against migrant trafficking networks, drug trafficking, and the dismantling of terrorist cells. Notably, on December 19, the Spanish National Police, in collaboration with the Moroccan police, carried out an anti-terrorist operation resulting in the arrest of nine individuals in Melilla and one in Nador.
Technical training is a particularly strong area of cooperation between the two countries, cavalry units named as an example.
According to the DGSN’s 2023 report, the Moroccan police processed 6,473 information requests from various countries, marking a 12% increase compared to 2022. Notably, 15% of these requests pertained to cases of irregular migration, 13% were related to drug trafficking, and 9% involved the exchange and transfer of prisoners.