27 T of hashish seized in Tangiers in H1 2004

Police in the northern city of Tangiers, seized during the five first months of 2004 26.6 tons of hashish, including 7 T in the city's port, the main crossing point between north Africa and Europe.

A top police official said at a news briefing that between January 1st and May 30, 2004, judiciary police seized 19.29 T in different operations, while police in the port foiled smuggling of 7.36 T.

Along with the seizures, some 520 individuals have been arrested and 324 networks of international drug trafficking dismantled, including Spanish and French webs working in collaboration with Moroccans.

The officer went on that 76 vehicles, 10 TIR trucks and 2 buses, registered abroad for most of them, have been seized in 132 check operations during this period, while 60 European nationals were arrested. These include 24 French, 16 Spanish, 12 Portuguese, 3 Italians, 2 Brits, one Turk, a Dane and a Swede.