New York, July 16, 2019 – the Representative of the Frente POLISARIO at the United Nations, Dr Sidi M. Omar has called Security Council to compel Morocco to uphold its regional and international responsibilities and to desist from its destabilising actions that are threatening security and stability of its neighbours and the whole region in a letter sent to the President of the Security Council, Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations, H.E. Mr Gustavo Meza-Cuadra
“In conformity with our obligations as an AU Member State, our enhanced anti-drug-trafficking operations throughout the Sahrawi Liberated Territories, along with our growing cooperation with our neighbours, are curbing the illicit flow of drugs into and within our region. We strongly encourage the Security Council to compel Morocco to uphold its regional and international responsibilities and to desist from its destabilising actions that are threatening security and stability of its neighbours and the whole region.” POLISARIO´s Representative at UN stresses in his letter
Dr Sidi M. Omar went on saying that on 10 and 12 July 2019, the Sahrawi Army conducted an anti-drug operation in the regions of Ross Tameluza and Gleibat Alaghaya in Western Sahara, which exposed major drug trafficking operations originating on the Moroccan side of the illegal military wall dividing the Territory. In total, 1,625 kilograms of Moroccan cannabis, a PKT machine gun with 1,100 rounds of ammunition as well as two Kalashnikov rifles with 200 rounds of ammunition, were seized during the anti-drug raids, resulting in the arrest of 9 drug traffickers and the seizure of a 4WD vehicle. All those detained are members of an illicit drug trafficking group that operates across Morocco’s illegal military wall.
Sahrawi diplomat highlighted that Morocco is the world’s largest producer and exporter of cannabis, as confirmed by many international reports including the 2018 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report of the US Department of State and the World Drug Report 2019 of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Tons of Moroccan-produced cannabis and other illegal drugs are smuggled every year across the Moroccan military wall despite its being one of the most heavily manned and militarised walls in the world and infested with millions of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.
He has also added that The Moroccan military’s involvement in drug and human trafficking, involving fellow Africans, represents a direct threat to regional and international peace and security. Over the past decade, the illegal trafficking of Moroccan drugs has also become a primary source of funding for transnational terrorist and organized crime groups operating in the Sahel-Sahara region.
Of particular concern is Morocco’s ongoing, illegal breach in the Guerguerat in southern Western Sahara, which serves as a point of passage for illicit goods, including drugs. Every day, hundreds of trucks and vehicles cross the illegal breach into the Buffer Strip towards the Mauritanian border and beyond, in direct violation of the ceasefire and Military Agreement No. 1.SPS
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