9 Arrested After Market Riot Over Produce Prices Near Kénitra, Morocco

It was video recordings that allowed the gendarmerie elements to identify the suspects. There would be about ten of them at the origin of the clashes and acts of violence that took place last Sunday at the Ouled Jelloul souk, near Kénitra. At the heart of these acts, a sudden increase in the price of certain agricultural products. The suspects would have called on buyers to sow disorder in reaction to this overbidding, reports the daily Al Akhbar.

Pending the arrest of the rest of the gang, the 9 suspects were brought before the King’s prosecutor near the court of first instance of Kénitra, after a preliminary investigation. According to the daily, the Gendarmerie is also looking for the merchants who have doubled the price of vegetables.

The weekly Ouled Jelloul souk is one of the largest souks in the Gharb region and is located in a wealthy commune known for the abundance of its agricultural products. This is why the sustained rise in these products was badly seen by the market customers.