Almera: A Spanish court has once again spotlighted the expanding networks of drug smuggling from Morocco to Europe, convicting five defendants to prison sentences for their role in smuggling 13.7 tons of cannabis resin into Spain. This operation, involving a truck that departed from the port of Nador in northeastern Morocco, is one of the largest smuggling cases uncovered in recent months.
According to Algeria Press Service, the Provincial Court in Almera, southeastern Spain, has also imposed fines totaling 100 million Euros on each defendant. Additionally, four of the convicted individuals are to be deported from Spain for seven years after serving three-quarters of their prison sentences. However, the ruling is still subject to appeal.
This case revives European concerns over the continuous flow of drugs from Morocco, allegedly with the complicity of the Makhzen. The network's activities highlight the significant security and social impacts on neighboring countries and Europe. The court noted that the network members had agreed before June 2025 to smuggle a large quantity of cannabis resin into Spain for distribution and sale, with specific roles assigned to ensure the shipment's successful transit.
Investigations revealed a sixth person, still at large, who rented the trailer used in the operation on June 17th, 2025. The drugs were hidden among watermelons and inside potato-shaped plastic molds to avoid detection. The truck departed from Nador to Almera, arriving on June 19th, 2025, with Spanish police tracking its movements as part of a counter-narcotics operation.
Authorities utilized a GPS tracking device to monitor the truck's seemingly random route through various areas and fuel stations, eventually leading to an industrial zone in Hu©rcal de Almera. A subsequent police raid on a warehouse revealed dozens of cannabis resin packages concealed behind watermelon pallets and inside plastic molds.
Spanish authorities estimated the seized drugs' value at over 25 million Euros, highlighting the parallel economy tied to drug trafficking under the Makhzen regime. The court confirmed that all defendants were aware of the shipment's nature, with contradictions in their statements aiding in proving the charges in the security operation "San Pedro."
This case contributes to a series of European reports linking Morocco to cannabis resin smuggling routes toward Europe, intensifying criticism of the Makhzen for the ongoing drug flow across the Mediterranean and the resulting social, economic, and security challenges within European nations.