HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
The recent years have witnessed an unprecedented shift in the landscape of organized crime in Morocco, with women entering the drug market that was once exclusive to men. The ongoing security operations in various cities and regions have revealed an increasing participation of women in promotion, possession, and smuggling, reflecting a shift in the roles of actors within these criminal networks.
Recent security data for 2025 indicates the handling of more than 106,117 drug-related cases, and the arrest of 134,126 suspects, including an increasing number of women.
The quantities seized reached 170.8 tons of hashish, 1.73 tons of cocaine, and more than 1.59 million narcotic pills. Also, 1,112 criminal networks operating in the field of drugs and organized crime were dismantled during the year.
These statistics show that women have become a real part of these networks, whether in transport, promotion, or execution, which changes the traditional equation of drug-related crimes in Morocco.
In the same context, data from the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration indicates that drug crimes constitute about 28.39% of the total prisoners, i.e. about 27,162 people detained for drugs, including an increasing proportion of women, reflecting an increase in their participation in the criminal market.
Analysts attribute this phenomenon to social and economic factors, most notably the lack of job opportunities, high unemployment rates, and financial pressures, which push some women to accept dangerous roles within drug networks in exchange for attractive financial returns, despite their legal and ethical risks. Some reports indicate that the networks may exploit women in tasks that are less attractive to the authorities, tactically to facilitate drug smuggling.
This development raises new questions for security and government agencies about how to formulate comprehensive strategies that deal with the participation of women in the drug market, while promoting social and economic alternatives that strengthen their opportunities in legitimate paths, and reduce their drift towards involvement in organized crime.
