Morocco Arrests 21 Interpol-Wanted Mafia Members, Extradites 15

More than twenty criminals, the majority of whom are linked to international criminal organizations, were arrested by the Moroccan security services during the first 4 months of the year, before being brought to justice. As part of judicial cooperation with certain countries, 15 of the mafiosi, subject to international arrest warrants, were expelled to their country.

According to the daily Al Akhbar, the vigilance of the Moroccan security services has been praised by the French and Spanish services. This proactivity has allowed the Moroccan units to arrest a Spanish national, the subject of an Interpol red notice, under which he was to serve a 58-year sentence for premeditated murder, kidnapping, sequestration and escape from a penitentiary institution.

In Marrakech, one of the leaders of the "Mazarella" criminal cell, a 44-year-old Italian, was apprehended by the judicial police brigade, following a red alert from Interpol initiated by the Italian authorities, for murder and illegal possession of weapons. The daily continues that in the same city, a 58-year-old French national, convicted in absentia of criminal imprisonment, was arrested at the airport. Wanted under an international arrest warrant issued by the Swiss authorities, the man was wanted for a fraud case.

Other mafiosi, subject to international arrest warrants, were arrested by the judicial police services both in Marrakech and Essaouira, for cases of belonging to criminal networks or drug trafficking.