Tanger Med: Over 4 Tons of Chira Seized Hidden in a Fruit Truck
Moroccan authorities delivered a major blow to drug trafficking on Sunday, July 27, 2025, by foiling an attempt to illegally export over 4 tons of chira at the port of Tanger Med. Through a joint operation involving the National Security forces and Customs services, law enforcement agents intercepted a shipment carefully concealed in a Moroccan truck transporting fruits bound for a European port.
According to a security source, the total weight of the seized drugs amounted to 4.374 tons. The illegal cargo had been cleverly hidden among agricultural produce—a technique increasingly used by trafficking networks seeking to evade Morocco’s increasingly advanced inspection systems. However, this strategy was no match for the vigilance and precision of the inspection teams operating at the Tanger Med port terminal.
The truck driver, a 51-year-old Moroccan national, was immediately arrested. He is currently under judicial investigation, supervised by the competent prosecutor’s office, to clarify the circumstances surrounding the case. Investigators are working to determine whether this shipment was part of a larger, organized international trafficking network and to identify any accomplices both within Morocco and abroad.
This seizure is part of the ongoing efforts led by Moroccan security services to combat international drug and psychotropic substance trafficking. Tanger Med, being a strategic transit hub between Africa, Europe, and the rest of the world, is under heightened surveillance. Authorities have implemented a comprehensive approach combining new technologies, interagency coordination, and targeted intelligence operations.
The case once again highlights the complexity and scale of drug trafficking networks that attempt to bypass border control systems. It also reaffirms the Moroccan authorities’ commitment to maintaining constant vigilance in combating this threat to public safety and regional stability. International cooperation remains crucial to dismantle criminal logistics chains and uphold Morocco’s position as a key player in the fight against cross-border trafficking.