The recent seizure of 75.1 tons of cannabis resin in the Cádiz province of Spain over the course of a single year has starkly illustrated the magnitude of cannabis trafficking from Morocco across the Mediterranean. This alarming statistic has been further corroborated by multiple security operations that have uncovered the involvement of Moroccan nationals in criminal networks engaged in the transportation, storage, and distribution of these narcotics throughout Europe. This troubling phenomenon places significant responsibility on the Moroccan authorities regarding the expansion of drug trafficking and its repercussions on the countries along the northern shores of the Mediterranean.
Insights into these trafficking flows have been provided by the Spanish publication Europa Sur, which based its findings on data from the Spanish Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime. According to the report, authorities in Cádiz confiscated approximately 75.1 tons of cannabis resin in 2025, out of a total of 198 tons seized across various regions of Spain. Additionally, seizures of cocaine in the province reached 8.3 tons, accounting for nearly one-third of the national total, with law enforcement recording 1,019 arrests linked to drug-related offenses.
The significance of these figures extends beyond the sheer volume of drugs seized; they reveal the extensive flows of cannabis coming from Morocco into Spain, which are fueled by Moroccan cross-border smuggling networks. These networks not only facilitate the trafficking but also reinvest the proceeds into a parallel drug economy, all while the Moroccan authorities appear to turn a blind eye to the growing criminal activities that adversely impact neighboring countries.
In one of the latest incidents, Spain's Civil Guard successfully disrupted an attempt to smuggle 10.2 kilograms of cannabis from Morocco at the port of Ceuta, apprehending a Moroccan national residing in France who was preparing to board a ferry bound for Algeciras. Moreover, evidence from operations in Italy indicates that these criminal activities extend across borders and involve a diverse range of illicit substances.
Italian law enforcement, specifically the Carabinieri, announced the arrest of a Moroccan man and woman in the southern region between Capaccio Paestum and Eboli, linked to drug trafficking activities. According to reports from La Milano, investigators discovered approximately 2.4 kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine inside the suspects' vehicle. Searches of their residences also yielded additional quantities of cannabis from Morocco, marijuana, heroin, and both cocaine and crack cocaine.
This operation simultaneously unveiled the extent of arms possession within these networks, as Italian authorities confiscated three firearms along with 280 rounds of ammunition, implicating a Moroccan individual in the process. In a separate operation in northwest Italy, further evidence of this cross-border drug trafficking was uncovered, with authorities in Alassio arresting a Moroccan suspect involved in the distribution of cocaine.
The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that a three-month investigation revealed a drug trafficking network operating in the Alassio plain, leading to judicial actions against the suspect, who was found to be connected to criminal organizations distributing substantial quantities of cocaine and heroin. These incidents underscore that the drug trafficking landscape is no longer limited to the transport of cannabis shipments; rather, it is characterized by transnational criminal networks that frequently involve Moroccan individuals. Their roles encompass transportation, storage, distribution, and promotion of various types of narcotics, making the revenue generated from these drugs a significant contributor to their parallel economy.
As reported by aps.dz.
