French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to Morocco after the arrest of 16 individuals “involved in ”serious criminal acts.”
The arrested individuals are suspected to have been involved in a range of offenses, including organized drug trafficking, murder, fraud and money-laundering schemes. Darmanin pointed to a “strengthened collaboration” between the two countries, as well as “various exchanges” that paved the way for the joint operation.
“Extradition requests for French nationals have been initiated, and official referrals concerning dual nationals, who cannot be extradited, have been made so that they can be prosecuted and tried by the Moroccan authorities,” he said.
In his message, Darmanin underscored the importance of the partnership. “Once again, thank you to the Moroccan authorities for this judicial cooperation against organized crime and for contributing to the security of our two countries through this major operation,” he wrote.
The latest announcement follows a series of joint operations carried out by Morocco and France in recent months. On several occasions, Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) has arrested suspects wanted under international warrants in cases involving drug trafficking, money laundering and transnational organized crime networks.
The legal framework for this cooperation is based on judicial assistance agreements between the two countries, which govern both extradition procedures for foreign nationals and the referral mechanism applicable to dual citizens.
