Drug Cartels Exploit Avocado Boom in Morocco for Money Laundering

Buying the most fertile tribal collective lands at low prices either by direct transfer, with the support of the delegates of these lands to invest in avocado cultivation. This is the new finding of drug traffickers to launder dirty money. They also benefit from the support of influential personalities who have also become investors in this sector, reports Assabah. For example, a company, which would belong to a close senior official, has taken over, on its own, 21 hectares located on a road adjacent to the highway leading to Sidi Taibi. The estate has been transformed into a modern and equipped farm for avocado cultivation.

The phenomenon is growing. Public property protection associations are sounding the alarm. According to them, these dubious operations in agricultural activities, particularly in avocados, threaten and compromise the efforts made by the State to develop and reduce social and economic disparities in this region. Realizing the situation, the Directorate of Rural Affairs has filed 186 land registration applications to protect tribal collective lands.

This directorate has provided its lawyers with all the jurisprudential rulings pronounced in favor of collective lands. They will be able to harmonize their judicial action and their effective representation of the supervisory services.