Morocco Cracks Down on Shisha Cafes: Multiple Closures in Salé

During this operation, the city authorities also seized dozens of hookahs and televisions belonging to the owner of a cafe that was under a 30-day temporary closure order. About ten shisha cafes located in the Batna and Mrissa districts were spared during the operation, sparking strong criticism, reports the daily Assabah.

The prefecture had asked the services of the urban municipality of Salé to withdraw the operating permits from these shisha cafes. The operation was initiated after an opposition party leader, in conflict with the manager of a shisha cafe that was the subject of a temporary closure, convinced his parliamentary group in the House of Representatives to address a written question to the Minister of the Interior on the nuisance caused by this cafe to the residents of the surrounding buildings.

The parliamentary adviser of the National Union of Labor in Morocco also asked a question on this subject to the Minister of the Interior, asking him to open an investigation into the proliferation of illegal shisha cafes in Salé.