Tangier: Spanish "hashish tiger" arrested, 86 held
Moroccan authorities arrested a Spanish fugitive nicknamed the "hashish tiger" in Tangier, in an operation that led to 86 arrests and the seizure of around 11 tonnes of hashish, as he awaits extradition to Spain.
Moroccan authorities have arrested a Spanish fugitive known by the nickname "the hashish tiger" in Tangier, described as one of the leading figures behind hashish trafficking networks in Spain. The arrest is part of an investigation led by the Spanish police that resulted in the detention of 86 people and the seizure of around 11 tonnes of the drug, according to Spanish media and the Moroccan outlet TelQuel, on Tuesday.
According to the same sources, the man had been living a lavish lifestyle in the upscale Soto de la Moraleja neighbourhood on the outskirts of Madrid before fleeing to Morocco last March to evade Spanish police. The investigation was led by Spain's Central Drug and Organized Crime Unit (UDYCO), part of the National Police, which considers the network he led one of the country's most powerful hashish distribution operations.
The security operation resulted in 86 arrests, most of them carried out in Spain and involving both Spanish and Moroccan nationals, while the network's alleged leader was arrested separately in Tangier, several months after he fled. The sources did not disclose the suspect's full identity for legal reasons tied to the ongoing proceedings, mentioning only his first name, "Juan Carlos," without further details. He is currently in custody in Morocco, awaiting the completion of extradition proceedings to Spain.
The operation comes amid continued security cooperation between Rabat and Madrid against drug-trafficking networks operating through the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the main crossing points for Moroccan hashish heading to the European market, from which shipments typically depart toward the nearby Spanish coast before being distributed across Europe.
The suspect's extradition to Spain is expected to proceed under the bilateral judicial agreements between the two countries, while official Moroccan authorities have not yet issued a specific statement on the operation, which has so far been reported by Spanish and Moroccan media citing security and judicial sources.