An investigative judge in Casablanca has questioned Saïd Naciri, the president of Wydad Athletic Club (WAC), on suspicion of involvement in a massive drug trafficking case.
Also under investigation is Abdel Nabi Baywi, the head of the Eastern Region Council.
Both men have been in custody since December 22, along with 25 other suspects, including 20 detainees.
They face charges such as “participation in an agreement to possess, trade, transport, export, and attempt to export drugs” and “bribery,” according to the public prosecutor.
The investigation revolves around the alleged “ties” of the suspects with a Malian citizen named Haj Ahmed Benbrahim.
Benbrahim, also known as the “Sahara Escobar,” is currently imprisoned in Morocco, having received a 10-year sentence for his involvement in an international drug trafficking case.
He was arrested upon his arrival in Morocco in 2019, following the police seizure of a record amount of cannabis (40 tons) in 2015.
The authorities suspect Naciri (54 years old) and Baywi (52 years old) of involvement in this network, which reportedly extends to Algeria, Niger, Libya, and Egypt, according to preliminary police investigations reported by local media.
The case has sent shockwaves through the sports community, raising concerns about the potential impact on Wydad Athletic Club.
The investigation’s developments will be closely monitored as legal proceedings unfold, shaping the future of those implicated in this high-profile drug trafficking case.
