44 kg of Chira seized in northern Morocco

Customs services in the port of Beni Nsar, close to the North-Eastern town of Nador, seized early Thursday 44 kg of Chira (cannabis pollen powder) in a car heading for Almeria (Spain).

The drug was concealed in the car boot and under the carpets of the vehicle.

The car owner, a Moroccan residing abroad, was handed over to authorities for investigation.

Moroccan customs services are regularly seizing important quantities of chira.

In 2004, the Tangier port police seized 30.20 tons of marijuana in 207 operations conducted jointly with the customs services.

Some 277 traffickers were nabbed during these operations, including 127 Moroccans, 39 French, 36 Spaniards and 21 Portuguese.

Police investigation shows that the drugs were mainly destined to Spain, France, Belgium and Holland.