A Moroccan court handed down prison sentences to 29 individuals, including prominent politicians and sports and business figures, in an international drug trafficking and corruption scandal that has shaken the nation. The court also imposed hundreds of millions of dollars in fines late Thursday after a trial spanning more than two years.
Background of the Case
The case originated when an imprisoned drug kingpin, often referred to as “Sahara’s Pablo Escobar” in allusion to the notorious Colombian trafficker, alleged that some of his business associates, including senior Moroccan politicians, were involved in drug trafficking and had seized his assets while he was incarcerated. Those accused have denied the allegations. The revelations triggered multiple arrests and a lengthy trial involving 30 defendants, 18 witnesses, and two civil parties.
Sentences and Fines
Abdennebi Bioui, a construction tycoon and former lawmaker with the co-governing Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), who also headed a Regional Council, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $15,989. Said Naciri, a former PAM lawmaker and former president of Wydad AC, one of Morocco’s most prominent soccer clubs, received a 10-year prison sentence. Belkacem Mir, a former PAM lawmaker and former president of a soccer club, was also sentenced to 10 years. Other defendants received prison terms of up to nine years and fines of up to $26,649. One defendant was acquitted.
Charges and Asset Seizures
Charges included drug and gold trafficking, corruption, forgery, and violations of exchange control regulations. The court ordered the seizure of assets belonging to several defendants, including Bioui, Naciri, and Mir, capped at $1 million. It also ordered hundreds of millions of dollars in financial penalties to be paid to customs authorities, with the bulk to be paid jointly by the three men. Attorneys can appeal the ruling.
Courtroom Drama
As the judge read out the sentences, shouts of protest erupted from the defendants’ box. “I am innocent. I haven’t done anything,” some yelled. Within moments, tension inside the packed courtroom No. 8 escalated into scenes of panic and grief. Relatives screamed, some collapsed to the floor, and others wept as police officers pushed through the crowd to restore order.
Role of the Malian Kingpin
Police documents presented in court show that Hadj Ahmed Ben Brahim, a jailed Malian drug lord, accused his partners of involvement in an international gold trafficking network. He also accused them of seizing his assets, including a luxury villa, high-end apartments, and dozens of cars. The Paris-based magazine Jeune Afrique reported that Ben Brahim teamed up with Moroccan politicians to transport cannabis resin to Libya, Egypt, and Mauritania.
Broader Implications
Morocco is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of hashish. Although the North African nation has legalized cannabis cultivation for medical and industrial purposes, drug trafficking remains deeply entrenched. Its proximity to Europe has facilitated the movement of narcotics across the Mediterranean. The case reignited debate over corruption in Moroccan political circles and prompted King Mohammed VI, Morocco’s highest authority and a figure officially above politics who rarely speaks publicly, to call for the adoption of a legally binding code of ethics to “moralize” life in parliament.
Financial Reparations
The court ordered Bioui, Naciri, and Mir to jointly pay Hadj Ahmed Ben Brahim $106,599.
