Algerian Official: Morocco Emerges as Key Cannabis Transit Route

Where do the large quantities of psychotropic drugs come from? Answering this question that was asked of him during an interview with the site elwatan-dz, Faouzi Moualek, divisional commissioner and head of the criminal research and analysis service at the Judicial Police Directorate, declares: "Algeria is surrounded by a ring of fire. To the West, we share our borders with a country (Morocco, editor’s note) classified by UN bodies as the world’s 1st producer of cannabis. To the South, there are Mali and Niger, whose territories are used by cross-border terrorist and criminal organizations."

According to him, all the conditions are in place to allow cross-border criminal organizations to evolve and develop. "These countries have become important routes for cannabis, weapons and migrants to Europe. Algeria is a mandatory passage for these networks," says the Algerian official. However, he notes a decrease in cannabis seizures and a significant increase in the quantity of psychotropics recovered in the last three years.

"[...] If we refer to the seizure statistics, we notice a progressive decrease in the quantities of cannabis recovered between 2020 and 2023, and a significant increase in those of psychotropics. The downward trend in cannabis seizures is explained by the important security system put in place along the western border of the country. This has pushed the traffickers towards the neighboring countries. They bypass our southern borders, pass through Niger, or Libya, to introduce them into Algeria. Hard drugs come from West Africa, but also from the East, and are destined for Europe. These two regions are hubs of Latin American cocaine trafficking," explains Faouzi Moualek.

He also states that "more than 90% of the psychotropics seized during the last three years come from Libya", according to his explanations, it is "mainly Pregabalin (300 mg), used to relieve neuropathic pain, diverted from its medical purpose. Consumers call it "saroukh" (the rocket), for the speed of its effects on their condition. It is extremely dangerous to health."