Illegal immigration

Articles

• French Interior Minister Visits Morocco to Bolster Security and Migration Ties
  12 April, by Said

  The French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, is expected this weekend in Morocco for an official working visit. This trip comes as Paris and Rabat display their shared desire to strengthen their ties. Meetings with high-ranking Moroccan officials are on the agenda, focusing on several topics of bilateral cooperation.
  At the heart of this visit, Mr. Retailleau is expected to meet with his Moroccan counterpart, Abdelouafi Laftit. The discussions between the two ministers should (…)

• Disabled Moroccan Immigrant Faces Homelessness in Belgium After Asylum Rejections
  2 April, by Sylvanus

  Arrived in Belgium where he hoped to change his life, a Moroccan with a disability faces a harsh reality.
  Yassine* left Morocco in 2016 for Belgium, in the hope of building a better life, because "the care of people with disabilities is not, he says, what it should be" in the kingdom. But things are not going as he had hoped. So far, he has not received any valid residence permit in Belgium. "I have already filed several applications, but they have all been rejected," he confided.
  For (…)

• Tragic Discovery: 5 Moroccan Migrants Found Dead on Beach Near Casablanca
  1 October 2019, by Ginette

  Five bodies were found on Monday, September 30, on the Nahla beach. Most of the victims, identified by their relatives, would have drowned after the inflatable boat they were on sank.
  While some manage to cross the Mediterranean, others never make it. This is the case of these people whose bodies were found in Mohammedia, last Saturday.
  The seven victims, including a woman, were all from the villages of the Kelaat Seraghna province, 300 km south of Casablanca. The search continues to (…)

• Migrant’s Body Washes Ashore in Ceuta Amid Mediterranean Storms
  29 March 2019, by Bladi.net

  The waves of the Mediterranean have brought the lifeless body of an illegal immigrant to the shore of Tarajal near Ceuta. The bad weather is once again pointed out.
  The storms that the Mediterranean has been experiencing in recent days have not been kind to illegal migrants. The latter, driven by impatience or having made miscalculated choices, still brave the dangers of the rough sea to reach Europe.
  A few days after the discovery in Melilla of the body of a woman of sub-Saharan (…)

• Undocumented to World-Class: Moroccan Trail Runner’s Inspiring Journey in Spain
  9 January 2021, by Espagnol

  Arriving in Spain under a truck with his cousin, Zaid Ait Malek was "undocumented" in Almeria for a long time. He faced difficult situations for more than 4 years before making a name for himself in athletics. He is now one of the best trail runners in the world. To immortalize his exploits, director Joaquin Clares is filming a short film on the painful journey of the Moroccan, now naturalized Spanish.
  "I did it." This is the sentence uttered by the athlete at the end of the documentary. (…)

• Moroccan Teen Missing After Attempted Illegal Sea Crossing to Spain
  11 January 2021, by Espagnol

  The parents of Ilias Kajat are completely distraught. They are searching in vain for their son, who left with other young people to join Spain. All attempts to get news of Ilias have so far been unsuccessful.
  According to information gathered by El Faro de Ceuta from the family, Ilias would have left the house last Wednesday, for what his parents thought was a simple walk. But the 19-year-old Moroccan had planned to illegally travel to Spain. The family is conducting research to find out (…)

• Spain Enhances Border Security in Melilla with €2.5 Million Surveillance System
  26 April 2022, by Prince

  The Civil Guard will proceed with the installation of a new surveillance system on the land, air and maritime borders of Melilla with Morocco, in order to strengthen control and surveillance and thus prevent attempts by migrants to storm the borders. A budget of 2.5 million euros, all taxes included, has been planned for this project.
  The new surveillance system consists of the installation of five fixed stations (EFV) in different parts of the autonomous city. It will be connected to a (…)

• Moroccan Fisherman Survives 8-Day Swim to Canary Islands with Truck Tire
  29 January, by Said

  Ayoub, a young Moroccan, tried to reach the Canary Islands by swimming from Tarfaya, in southern Morocco, with only a truck tire, flippers and some provisions as equipment. Leaving with his friend Mohcine, he spent eight days at sea in extreme conditions.
  On January 7, 2024, Ayoub was rescued alone, exhausted, 16 kilometers southeast of Fuerteventura. His story, as incredible as it may seem, is confirmed by the videos found on his mobile phone.
  Ayoub, a fisherman in Dakhla, had seen his (…)

• Moroccan Drug Traffickers Employ Migrant ’Sherpas’ to Smuggle Hashish into Spain
  21 August 2022, by Prince

  Drug trafficking networks are showing ingenuity to continue to transport hashish from Morocco to Spain without risking getting caught. Their new find, having the drug unloaded by Moroccan migrants who make the journey on foot across fields and mountains.
  The Sherpas or "black feet" mingle with migrants arriving from Morocco on the coast of Cadiz in makeshift boats in search of a better future. But their real goal is to cross the strait to introduce hashish into the area between Algeciras (…)

• Border Agents Discover Migrants Hidden Inside Mattresses at Melilla Crossing
  1 January 2019, by Said

  The incident occurred yesterday, report several local media that have broadcast the police video. As the agents were about to inspect the car and the two mattresses, the driver took the opportunity to flee towards Morocco.
  The two young people were taken to the Melilla minors’ center and a medical examination will be carried out in the coming days to determine their exact age, the same sources said.