Despite King Mohammed VI’s outstretched hand policy towards Algeria, and his continuous efforts to rekindle relations between the two countries to serve the dream of Maghreb unity, the eastern neighbor has once again chosen to return to its familiar tactic of accusing Morocco of attempting to destabilize its internal security.
In an official statement issued by the Algerian Ministry of Defence on Wednesday, which included the weekly operational report of what it calls “the fight against organized crime,” it announced the thwarting of attempts to smuggle 7 quintals and 54 kilograms of processed cannabis across the Moroccan border, in addition to the seizure of 370,176 hallucinogenic tablets. These accusations are not new, as Algeria has repeatedly made them on numerous occasions as part of a blatant and exposed media propaganda campaign aimed at blaming Morocco for its internal problems. The Algerian army has previously promoted similar claims regarding the flooding of its territory with drugs, linking them to allegations of terrorist financing, money laundering, and arms trafficking in the region. Despite this, Morocco’s position has remained firm in dealing with these systematic campaigns. Rabat has maintained restraint and refused to be drawn into these allegations, preferring not to add fuel to the existing tension between the two countries.
