Morocco Cracks Down on Illegal Wells After Tragic Death of 5-Year-Old Rayan

Insomnia is in prospect for those responsible and drug traffickers. Morocco has decided to track down those responsible for the illegal and unsecured wells built in the north of the country, particularly in the province of Chefchaouen, for the benefit of drug barons, following the death of Rayan, the 5-year-old child who died on Saturday, after accidentally falling on February 1, 2022 into a 32-meter deep, narrow and difficult to access dried-up well, dug near the family home in the village of Ighrane. A former governor of this province is in the crosshairs.

Before little Rayan, other people have been victims of this type of accident, but these facts had not been publicized. For example, two members of the same family perished in a similar accident a year ago. According to local sources, it is not excluded that the Ministry of the Interior will open an investigation into the proliferation of these wells, some of which had even been authorized for the benefit of drug barons under obscure circumstances. The latter used them for cannabis cultivation. Some wells had however been authorized for the irrigation of trees or fruit plantations.

After an investigation, the current governor supervised the destruction of several wells suspected of being used for illegal trafficking.