Alpes-Maritimes: A Franco-Moroccan network wanted to recover drugs at sea, heavily sentenced in Grasse

It all started with information obtained on October 19, 2023, helping the mobile border police brigade in Nice to identify a certain Abdelmajid Oufkir, a 47-year-old Belgian-Moroccan, known as a drug trafficker in his country of residence. He is the head of a group based in the Alpes-Maritimes planning to recover drugs by means of semi-rigid boats, equipped with powerful outboard motors, departing from a beach in Mandelieu, and crossing the Mediterranean. The investigators suspect him of acquiring boats and fitting them out for "illicit use", go-fast boats.

Sofiane Allalou, a 48-year-old Algerian, manager of a snack bar in Cannes and "nautical specialist"; Tom-Mohand Ouakli, a 35-year-old from Alès, the "logistics chief"; Sabri Bisshili, a 32-year-old from Nice; Allalou or Ali B., a 44-year-old from La Ciotat who runs a snack bar in Vallauris, or a Peugeot Parner belonging to Saad H., a 26-year-old Moroccan, Imad L., a 32-year-old Moroccan, former fisherman turned nightclub bouncer and ocean-going captain; and Yassin Moutakif, a 22-year-old Italian, are the other members of the network.

The network acquired the "Diva One", a 9.55-meter inflatable boat for 59,000 euros. At the end of December 2023, it proceeds to remove the benches, to purchase GPS, sounders, warm clothing, oversized propellers and even the purchase of a satellite phone. The network has many jerrycans filled with gasoline, which will be stored on board (30 to 50 cans) of the fitted-out boats. It steals an inflatable boat from the Cannes Marina port in Mandelieu. Afterwards, this group of Azureans tries to supply themselves with drugs in Spain, Morocco and Senegal.

All attempts have failed. The "Diva One" breaks down off the Spanish coast due to an engine failure on February 6, 2024. The members of the network are not discouraged. In February of the same year, the trio Allalou, Ouakli, Oufkir, buys a new craft called "Le Giulia". Moored in the port of Grau-du-Roi, it sets sail on July 15, 2024 for a new attempt. Failure was again on the agenda. The network abandons the vessel on a beach near Tarragona, Spain.

The network will be dismantled from July 2024 and its members will be arrested. After their arrest, they are tried before the Grasse Judicial Court. At the hearing, the president of the court, Stéphanie Lochon-Dallet, questions them about their respective roles. The defendants claim they believed it was a fuel trafficking operation but, suspecting otherwise, some admit that a more significant trafficking was hidden behind these boat trips. In his indictment, the prosecutor deplores the absence of the main organizer "Oufkir, known as Majid, on the run, who continues his activities thanks to his ties in Morocco and who had brought in trusted men from Belgium".

The court delivers its verdict. Oufkir is sentenced to 7 years in prison and a fine of 50,000 euros with a search warrant. Sofiane Allalou was sentenced to 4 years in prison and 15,000 euros in fines, Tom-Mohand Ouakli to 4 years in prison and 15,000 euros in fines, Sabri Bisshili to 4 years including one with probation and 10,000 euros in fines, Yassin Moutakif to 3 years in prison and 5,000 euros in fines. They all remain in prison. As for Jawad B., Imad L. and Kevin G.), they were sentenced to sentences ranging from 1 year to 6 months in prison with continued detention. Mitigating circumstances for Ali B. and Saad H. They receive 8 and 6 months in prison respectively with suspended sentences.