The recent seizure of 75.1 tons of cannabis resin in Cádiz, Spain, has unveiled the alarming scale of drug trafficking operations originating from Morocco across the Mediterranean. This significant discovery highlights the involvement of Moroccan nationals in intricate criminal networks that facilitate the transport, storage, and distribution of narcotics throughout Europe, thereby placing the Moroccan government under scrutiny regarding its responsibility for the proliferation of this issue and its repercussions on countries along the northern Mediterranean coast.
According to data revealed by the newspaper "Europa Sur," with references drawn from the Spanish Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime, authorities in Cádiz confiscated approximately 75.1 tons of cannabis resin in 2025, out of a total of 198 tons seized nationwide in various regions of Spain. Furthermore, the region recorded cocaine seizures amounting to 8.3 tons, accounting for nearly one-third of the national total, alongside 1,019 arrests linked to drug-related offenses. This staggering figure not only reflects the volume of confiscated substances but also underscores the extensive flow of cannabis from Morocco to Spain, fueled by cross-border Moroccan smuggling networks that reinvest their profits into a parallel drug economy, while the Moroccan authorities continue to turn a blind eye to these criminal activities that affect nations on the other side of the Mediterranean.
In a recent incident, the first unit of the Customs and Border Police of the Civil Guard in Spain thwarted an attempt to smuggle 10.2 kilograms of cannabis from Morocco at the port of Ceuta, apprehending a Moroccan residing in France who was preparing to board a ferry to Algeciras. Simultaneously, developments in Italy reveal the transnational nature of these networks and the variety of drugs they handle, alongside the diverse roles played by those involved in these operations. The Italian Carabinieri reported the arrest of a Moroccan man and woman in an area between Capaccio Paestum and Eboli (Southern Italy) for their involvement in drug possession with intent to distribute as part of cross-border criminal activity. According to the website "La Milano," investigators discovered approximately 2.4 kilograms of cocaine and crack within their vehicle. Subsequent house searches led to the confiscation of additional cannabis from Morocco, marijuana, heroin, and other quantities of cocaine and crack.
This operation simultaneously revealed the extent of involvement in arms possession, with Italian authorities seizing three firearms and 280 rounds of ammunition, including a Moroccan national among those arrested. In Northwestern Italy, another operation uncovered an additional link in this ongoing activity, as authorities in Alassio detained a Moroccan individual for his role in cocaine distribution. The newspaper "La Repubblica" reported that a three-month investigation exposed a drug trafficking operation in the Alassio plain, leading to judicial actions against individuals involved in criminal networks responsible for distributing substantial quantities of cocaine and heroin.
These incidents indicate that the operations are no longer limited to the transportation of cannabis shipments but instead encompass cross-border criminal networks where Moroccan individuals are repeatedly implicated. Their roles extend across various facets of drug trafficking—transportation, storage, distribution, and promotion—while the scope of their activities also includes multiple types of narcotics. Consequently, the revenues generated from these illicit substances have become crucial contributors to the parallel economy they sustain.
As reported by entv.dz.
