Morocco Closes Doors to French Drug Traffickers Fleeing Justice
Morocco would have 218 fugitives wanted by French authorities, nearly half of them for drug trafficking. The strengthening of cooperation between Paris and Rabat now threatens the peace of mind of these suspects on the run.
This figure appears in a confidential note from the Central Office for Combating Organized Crime, dated May 4. Morocco is ahead of Algeria, with 124 fugitives recorded, Israel with 87, Tunisia with 59 and the United Arab Emirates with 48.
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People wanted in the Maghreb often hold important positions in networks: importers, managers of sales points, masterminds or organizers of kidnappings linked to cryptocurrencies. Some would continue to run their activities from abroad.
The Moroccan refuge becomes riskier
Morocco has long attracted these fugitives because of their local ties, their financial means and, for dual nationals, the impossibility of being extradited. However, this protection does not shield them from prosecution and trial in Morocco.
Judicial cooperation between Rabat and Paris has significantly strengthened. The arrest in March 2024 of Félix Bingui, known as "the Cat", alleged leader of the Marseille Yoda clan, illustrated this change. "In Morocco, I wasn’t hiding," he claimed during his trial, before being sentenced to twelve years in prison.
Another crackdown led to the arrest of eleven people linked to money laundering cases, including six Franco-Moroccan dual nationals, reports Le Monde.
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Facing this pressure, some fugitives are already seeking new refuges, particularly in Turkey, Thailand, Indonesia and other Asian countries.
