Data released yesterday, Monday, by the Spanish Intelligence Center Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) highlighted the expansion of Moroccan drug trafficking networks into Europe alongside the diversification of substances traded.
Data disclosed by the newspaper Europa Sur revealed the scope of these flows over the last two years. In the latest incident, the first company of the Spanish Civil Guard’s Customs and Border Police foiled an attempt on Sunday to smuggle 10.2 kilograms of hashish originating from Morocco at the port of Ceuta. A Moroccan national residing in France was arrested as he prepared to board a ferry heading to Algeciras.
Incidents recorded in Italy further underscore the spread of these activities to transborder networks, while revealing the diversification of substances handled and the multiple roles played by those involved.
Italian Carabinieri announced the arrest of a Moroccan man and woman in an area between Capaccio Paestum and Eboli in southern Italy for their involvement in drug possession with intent to traffic within transborder criminal operations. According to La Milano, investigators discovered approximately 2.4 kilograms of cocaine and crack inside a vehicle. Subsequent residential searches led to the seizure of additional quantities of hashish originating from Morocco, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and crack.
Concurrently, the operation uncovered illegal firearms possession, with Italian authorities seizing three weapons and 280 rounds of ammunition involving a Moroccan individual. Meanwhile, another operation in northwestern Italy revealed a further link in the same network, where authorities in the suburb of Albenga arrested a Moroccan national for involvement in cocaine distribution. La Repubblica reported that a three-month investigation uncovered drug distribution operations in the Albenga plain area, exposing the involvement of a Moroccan national in criminal networks dealing massive quantities of cocaine and heroin.
Seizure of 75.1 Tons of Hashish in One Year
The seizure of 75.1 tons of hashish in the Spanish province of Cádiz within a single year exposed the massive flow of hashish from Morocco across the Mediterranean.
Consecutive security operations revealed the involvement of Moroccan nationals in criminal networks active in transporting, storing, and distributing these narcotics across Europe. This data places the Makhzen regime before its responsibility for the expansion of this phenomenon and its repercussions on the countries of the northern shore of the Mediterranean.
In 2025, authorities in Cádiz seized approximately 75.1 tons of cannabis resin out of the 198 tons intercepted across various regions of Spain. Additionally, cocaine seizures in the province reached 8.3 tons, accounting for nearly one-third of the total quantity seized nationwide.
Spanish authorities recorded no fewer than 1,019 arrests in drug-related cases.
The significance of these figures extends beyond the volume of seizures, shedding light on the expanding influx of hashish arriving from Morocco into Spain. Transnational Moroccan smuggling networks channel their proceeds into a parallel drug economy, while the Makhzen continues to turn a blind eye to criminal activities whose fallout impacts countries on the opposite shore.
These developments demonstrate that operations are no longer limited to transporting shipments of hashish, but are sustained by cross-border criminal networks. The repeated involvement of Moroccan nationals spans roles across transport, storage, distribution, and trafficking. Furthermore, the activity of these Moroccan networks extends to multiple types of drugs, making the proceeds from these narcotics one of the primary drivers of its parallel economy.
