Sixteen suspects arrested in Morocco: Darmanin praises French-Moroccan cooperation against organised crime
The French Justice Minister thanked Moroccan authorities after the apprehension of 16 individuals involved in serious crimes. Extradition requests have been launched.
Sixteen arrests in Morocco as part of joint French-Moroccan operation against crime
Gérald Darmanin, French Justice Minister, thanked Morocco on Tuesday following the apprehension of 16 individuals "involved in serious criminal acts", according to Google News MA. The suspects are under investigation for drug trafficking in an organised gang, murders, fraud, and money laundering operations.
The minister described the operation as the fruit of "enhanced collaboration" between Paris and Rabat, made possible through "various exchanges" between the two countries. "Thank you, once again, to the Moroccan authorities for this judicial cooperation against organised crime, and for the security of our two countries within the framework of this major operation," he wrote.
Extraditions and local prosecution
Darmanin clarified the judicial follow-up envisaged for the apprehended individuals. "Extradition requests for French nationals are being launched, and official reports for dual nationals, who cannot be extradited, have been filed so that they are prosecuted and tried by Moroccan authorities," he stressed.
This two-pronged mechanism is based on judicial cooperation agreements between the two countries, which organise both extradition procedures for foreign nationals and the official reporting system for dual nationals.
A series of joint operations
This announcement is part of a series of operations conducted jointly by Morocco and France in recent months. The Directorate General of National Security (DGSN) has carried out arrests on several occasions of suspects targeted by international arrest warrants, in cases involving drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational organised crime networks.
Source: Google News MA