Cocaine seizures increased sharply in Morocco in 2021, representing a total of 1.43 tonnes of white powder, according to the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN), which arrested more than 100,000 people in the fight against drug.
The National Security has handled more than 80,000 cases related to the possession and illegal trafficking of drugs and psychotropic drugs, specify the annual statistics published this week by the DGSN.
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Among the some 103,000 people arrested and brought to justice, there were 261 foreign nationals. The main discovery of cocaine (1.35 tonnes) took place on October 18 in the port of Tangier (north) from Brazil and bound for the ports of Antwerp (Belgium) and Portbury (south of England) . In 2020, the Moroccan police seized 132 kilos of coke, recalled the DGSN. For several years, the Moroccan police have increased the number of large seizures of cocaine, the South American cartels using the kingdom as a hub to Europe.
Regarding other drugs, 191.16 tonnes of cannabis resin were seized, down 12% compared to 2020, as well as three kilos of heroin (-64%). Morocco was the world's largest producer of cannabis resin in 2020, according to the United Nations. The kingdom adopted last May a law legalizing the pharmaceutical and industrial use of cannabis, which will come into force after the publication of implementing decrees which must specify in particular the geographical areas concerned.
Moroccan media reported this week the discovery of 12 tons of narcotics - the nature of which has not been specified - in a truck near Tangier and the arrest by the gendarmerie of a suspected drug lord.
Finally, the services of the DGSN and the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DST) confiscated nearly 1.5 million psychotropic tablets, including more than 50,000 ecstasy tablets, a record increase of over 200%. compared to 2020.