Record seizure of over 31 tonnes of cannabis in Morocco

The Moroccan police announced a record seizure of more than 31 tonnes of cannabis in a warehouse near Tangier, in the north of the kingdom, and the arrest of a man, an official source said.

The police "foiled, Wednesday, a major international drug trafficking operation and seized a record shipment of 31 tons 197 kilograms of chira (cannabis resin)," said a statement from the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN).

The cannabis "was packaged and stuffed in fruit and vegetable figurines, the colour and size of which are likely to facilitate their exit from Morocco as agricultural products destined for export," the same source said.

A large refrigerated trailer containing dozens of bags and bales of hashish was also seized at the warehouse.

A 61-year-old man with a criminal record was arrested and placed in police custody on suspicion of links with a criminal network involved in international drug trafficking," the DGSN said.

Investigations are still ongoing to "determine all the regional and international ramifications of this criminal network".

The Moroccan authorities announce from time to time the seizure of varying amounts of cannabis resin, but this operation is the largest since the beginning of the year.

More than 191 tonnes of cannabis resin were seized in 2021, down 12% from 2020, according to official figures.

Last year, the country passed a law allowing the therapeutic use of cannabis, a major reform for the North African country.