Morocco foils attempt to smuggle almost 4 tonnes of chira

RABAT – Morocco’s police foiled on Wednesday an attempt to smuggle almost four tonnes of the chira drug, and arrested a 30-year-old person, suspected of being linked to a criminal network smuggling narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The suspect was arrested in a village in the rural area of "Sidi El Mekki" on the outskirts of the city of Berrechid, before research and investigations led to identifying the location where the drug shipment was hidden inside a utility vehicle bearing forged number plates that was parked in the city of Berrechid, which turned out to be loaded with 103 packages of the drug amounting to three tonnes and 826 kilograms.

The completed seizures and inspections also enabled the seizure of doses of cocaine and a second utility vehicle, as well as a bunch of forged car license plates, while the process of registering the suspect in the National Security database showed that he is being sought at the national level by the services of the Judicial Police and the Royal Gendarmerie of Ouazzane, Khouribga, Beni Mellal and Tetouan on suspicion of involvement in other cases related to drug trafficking and attempted premeditated murder.

The suspect has been placed under custody pending the judicial investigation conducted under the supervision of the competent Public Prosecution, in order to identify the remaining possible extensions of this criminal activity, as well as to arrest the remaining participants and contributors to the commission of these criminal acts.

This security operation falls within the context of the intensive and continuous efforts made by the services of the General Directorate of National Security and the General Directorate of National Territorial Surveillance to combat international smuggling of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.