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image1In the framework of the implementation of the national strategy for fighting against cannabis production and trafficking, started several years ago by the Moroccan authorities, an intervention unit of the maritime Royal Gendarmerie, supported by the Royal Navy, succeeded, on April 18th, 2015, in aborting a transnational trafficking operation involving 9 tons of drugs. This took place in the Mediterranean sea, 7 kms North to Tangier-Med harbour.

This case, considered as one of the most important drugs busts in this year, involved a cargo ship flying Sierra-Leonean flag, with a Syrian crew, which was carrying 356 packages of cannabis resin, weighing 9 tons and 285 kilogram.

The six crew members of the ship, which was travelling from Nouakchott (Mauritania) to Tobruk (Libya) since early April, were all arrested and brought to justice, while the Royal Gendarmerie judiciary police service continues further investigations to dismantle the remaining criminal network behind this case.

This successful operation dealt a harsh blow to the transnational criminal group which organised this traffic.

It is worth noting that the efforts made by the Moroccan authorities have permitted, for the first six months of 2014, to seize some 100 tons of cannabis resin and 143,000 hallucinogenic tablets, and to dismantle 98 criminal networks.