Morocco seizes 24 tonnes of hashish after Spain busts ring

Moroccan security forces seized nearly 24 tonnes of hashish from a number of boats and arrested 11 people after an overnight chase off the northern coast, the MAP news agency reported Saturday. Spain’s proximity to north Africa, a major source of hashish, and its close ties with its former colonies in Latin America, a key cocaine-producing region, have made it the main gateway into Europe for narcotics. The Spanish raids were carried out throughout the country, including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, as well as the Spanish exclave of Ceuta on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast. Spanish police also seized two million euros ($2.2 million) in cash as well as several weapons, including assault rifles, as part of the operation that followed a two-year investigation.