Double murder at "Forêt 33": four suspects arrested, including two in Berrechid
Four people are now in police custody in connection with the double homicide at "Forêt 33" near Benslimane. The investigation is targeting a criminal network linked to drug trafficking.
Four arrests in the "Forêt 33" double homicide case
Two new arrests were made on Monday in Berrechid as part of the investigation into the double murder at "Forêt 33", according to lesinfos.ma. The two individuals detained are in addition to a 28-year-old suspect arrested the previous day in the Ounana region, near Ouezzane, as well as his brother, who was placed in custody at the same time.
The four arrests are being conducted by the National Judicial Police Brigade, in coordination with the Royal Gendarmerie, under the supervision of the competent prosecutor's office. The stated objective is to reconstruct the exact circumstances of the events and identify all those presumed to have participated.
Two victims shot in a forested area
According to initial investigative findings, the two victims were killed by firearm in a wooded area located at kilometre 33, around Benslimane — from which the name given to the case originates. This sector is also the subject of investigations into alleged drug and psychotropic substance trafficking activities.
The suspect arrested near Ouezzane is suspected of having participated in carrying out the killings with the use of a hunting rifle. His exact responsibilities, however, have not yet been formally established. His brother, for his part, was the subject of a separate search warrant and has been handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie services to be questioned in a separate case.
A criminal network under scrutiny
Technical and field investigations are said to have allowed investigators to trace several individuals suspected of belonging to a criminal network active in the region. The link between the homicides and trafficking activities remains to be established, as does the precise role of each suspect.
With the two new arrests in Berrechid, the circle of persons targeted by investigators is widening. The ongoing hearings should make it possible to determine the motivations behind the double homicide and clarify any possible connections between the various suspects.
The investigation is continuing under the supervision of the competent prosecutor's office. At this stage, all persons arrested retain the status of suspects; their definitive involvement will need to be established through judicial proceedings.
Source: Google News MA — Crime (fr)