Drug Traffickers in Casablanca Exploit Pandemic to Offer Predatory Loans

Unable to launder dirty money in the regular economy, drug trafficking networks have targeted the informal sector, where cash has been in serious shortage since the outbreak of the health crisis.

Seduced by the microcredit offer proposed by drug traffickers in Casablanca, many street vendors rushed to sign debt acknowledgments or hand over blank checks, reports Assabah.

For the hundreds of duped merchants, the operation was easy, simple and above all came at the right time. They were unaware that they would have to repay their loan three times more expensive.

For having borrowed an amount of 5,000 dirhams, some have been forced to repay 30,000 dirhams, a sum justified by late payment interest and other related fees, the newspaper specifies. Failing to pay, they are threatened with reprisals. And it is small-time crooks, hired by the traffickers, who are in charge of this dirty work.