Morocco foils smuggling of cannabis hidden in marble blocks

Rabat, Dec 5 Moroccan police have foiled an attempt to smuggle 8.99 tonnes of cannabis near Casablanca, the police said in a statement.

The drugs were carefully hidden in large blocks of marble of about 10 tons each, intended for export to an African country, it added.

The operation occurred at a warehouse located in the village of Moualin El Oued near Casablanca, it said, adding that large sums of money and two cars with fake license plates were also seized, Xinhua news agency reported.

Five people were arrested for their alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.

The statement added that two of the arrested were wanted by Moroccan Police for their involvement in international drug trafficking, while a third one is the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the French authorities in a case of voluntary manslaughter.

Despite the efforts to crack down on cannabis farming in the last decade, Morocco remains one of the world's largest cannabis resin producers, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.