Moroccan Drug Lord Gets 10 Years for Helicopter Trafficking Scheme

The criminal was arrested last July after a helicopter transporting drugs was spotted in the Tizi Tchen region in the province of Al Hoceima, reports Al Akhbar. The investigation opened led to the discovery that he was transporting large quantities of drugs to Europe by boat and helicopter. A large sum of cash, probably from this illegal trafficking, was found at his home during the searches.

International drug trafficking by helicopter is a growing phenomenon in the northern regions and the Rif, and threatens the security of the kingdom. The Moroccan security services are making efforts to effectively combat this traffic. A few years ago, they had discovered the existence of a clandestine landing strip on the outskirts of Tangier, intended for international drug trafficking by helicopter.

In recent years, several crashes of drug-carrying planes have been noted. A small helicopter had crashed in the vicinity of Assilah two years ago, and another near Ksar Kebir, due to drug overloads.