DR ‹ › Italian police have dismantled a drug trafficking network linked to Morocco, issuing 21 precautionary detention orders on April 21 following a three-year investigation in Florence, local media reported. A total of 19 suspects were arrested, 13 placed in custody and six under house arrest, while two others were ordered to remain at home. The group includes 16 Moroccans and five Italians. Investigators identified two Moroccan nationals as the leaders of the network, coordinating operations and directing other members. The investigation began in March 2023 with the arrest of a Moroccan resident in Spain found carrying 55 kilos of hashish. Authorities later uncovered a broader operation smuggling drugs from Morocco and Spain into northern Italy. The hashish was transported to a warehouse in Florence before being moved to an apartment and distributed to wholesalers. In total, 234 kilos of hashish were seized. The proceeds were transferred back to suppliers using the hawala system, an informal method relying on intermediaries to move money without physical transactions, making it harder to trace.
