The United States wants to deploy a mobile forensic laboratory in Laâyoune and Dakhla

The project is being led by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. State Department. Published on July 15 on Grants.gov, the call provides for funding of between 1.5 and 2.1 million dollars and the award of a single grant.

The objective is to strengthen Morocco’s forensic capabilities in order to combat drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations. Applications must officially be submitted no later than this Wednesday, September 9.

Avoiding up to sixteen hours of travel to Casablanca

The U.S. document notably points to a difficulty in the Laâyoune and Dakhla regions: items requiring scientific expertise currently have to be transported to the national laboratory in Casablanca, a journey that can take more than sixteen hours.

The future facility is intended to enable Moroccan teams to collect, analyze and preserve certain items directly in the field and to obtain preliminary results quickly. It will have to be fully equipped and integrated into the DGSN’s national forensic system.

The program also provides for training the police officers responsible for its use, maintenance and evidence processing.

At the same time, the United States wants to fund advanced training in forensic science and digital evidence analysis for Moroccan experts, particularly at the Higher Institute of Security Sciences and the national laboratory in Casablanca.

The project is expected to last 24 months, with a planned start in November 2026. Washington says it intends to build on the progress already achieved with the DGSN, whose national forensic laboratory holds accreditation under the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.