The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), which operates under the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), successfully dismantled a terrorist cell comprised of six individuals on April 5 and 6. These arrests were made in connection with their alleged involvement in a series of criminal acts driven by extremism, particularly focusing on theft, burglary, and money laundering under the principle known as "legitimization of loot." The suspects were apprehended during separate operations in Kénitra, Casablanca, the Dar El Gueddari region in the Sidi Kacem province, and Sidi Taïbi, as reported in an official BCIJ statement.
The BCIJ detailed that the searches conducted as part of this operation led to the seizure of extremist literature, various types of knives and blunt weapons, as well as suspicious amounts of money in Moroccan dirhams believed to be the proceeds of criminal activities. Additionally, the operations resulted in the confiscation of a balaclava, gloves, and three vehicles, including two vans intended for transporting goods, alongside a motorcycle suspected of being used to facilitate these criminal acts.
Investigations supported by police surveillance revealed that the suspects, influenced by extremist ideology, had recently engaged in thefts and burglaries as part of an illegal association aimed at profiting from criminal income. Their criminal modus operandi involved raiding livestock farms in rural areas surrounding Kénitra and Sidi Slimane to execute robberies, after which they would resell the stolen goods in local markets within the Joumaa Shim municipality in the Safi province and the city of Zemamra in the Sidi Bennour province.
The ongoing investigations aim to clarify the full extent of the criminal activities attributed to the suspects and to establish links between these crimes and their extremist affiliations. Furthermore, authorities are working to identify and apprehend additional accomplices and collaborators involved in these operations. For judicial purposes, the suspects are currently in police custody as part of the inquiries being conducted by the BCIJ under the supervision of the Attorney General responsible for terrorism and extremism matters.
As reported by atalayar.com.
