Moroccan Court Sentences 29 in Major Drug Trafficking and Corruption Case

A Moroccan court has delivered significant prison sentences and hefty fines to 29 prominent individuals, including politicians and figures from the sports and business sectors, in a sprawling international drug trafficking and corruption case. The verdicts were issued late Thursday, concluding a trial that spanned over two years.

The investigation began when a jailed drug lord, infamously dubbed "Sahara's Pablo Escobar," accused former business associates and senior Moroccan politicians of involvement in drug trafficking and of seizing his assets while he was imprisoned. The accused have reportedly denied these allegations. The revelations led to numerous arrests and a lengthy judicial process involving 30 defendants, 18 witnesses, and two civil parties.

The scandal has reignited discussions about corruption within Moroccan political circles. In response, King Mohammed VI, the nation's highest authority, called for the implementation of a legally binding code of ethics to "moralize" parliamentary life. Among those sentenced were Abdennebi Bioui, a construction tycoon and former lawmaker, who received 12 years in prison and a fine, and Said Naciri, a former lawmaker and ex-president of prominent soccer club Wydad AC, who was sentenced to 10 years.

Other defendants received prison sentences up to nine years and fines. The court also ordered the seizure of assets belonging to several key defendants, capped at $1 million, and mandated hundreds of millions of dollars in financial penalties payable to customs authorities. Prosecutors had sought convictions for all defendants. As the sentences were read, protests erupted from the defendants' box, with some proclaiming their innocence, leading to tense scenes in the courtroom.