Morocco Reports 33% Surge in Crime Cases Amid Pandemic Restrictions

In the fight against crime and the strengthening of the feeling of security, the national security services had to deal with 851,343 cases in 2020, of which 817,259 were resolved, an increase of nearly 33% compared to 2019. This increase is justified by the assessment of the security operations carried out as part of the fight against acts and offenses related to the violation of the state of health emergency, crimes related to new technologies and the violation of containment measures.

However, the overall crime curve has seen a sharp decline, with a 30% drop in property offenses, a 4.72% drop in offenses against persons, and a 22% drop in financial and economic cases. The repression rate, which represents the number of crimes solved, stands at 96%, thanks to the systematic use of forensic science techniques to support criminal investigations, the increase in field operations against wanted persons, including 117,494 arrests.

In the fight against violent criminal networks, the year 2020 was marked by the arrest of 779 individuals, 466 organizers, 9,179 candidates for illegal immigration and the seizure of 663 counterfeit travel or identity documents. 97,564 people were arrested in drug cases, with the seizure of 132 kg and 167 g of cocaine, 476,923 tablets and psychotropic drugs, 8 kg and 501 g of heroin and 217 tons and 323 kg of cannabis and its derivatives.

For other types of crimes, 21 individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism and extremism cases, 300 individuals for sexual blackmail on the internet, 213 people for embezzlement and other cases were referred to the competent public prosecutor’s offices by the judicial police. In addition, the criminal intelligence and technical support brigades handled 34,047 cases and carried out 11,822 investigations in the criminal field and contributed to the identification of 2,460 people involved in pending cases and others.