France Commends Morocco’s Cooperation in Dismantling Cryptocurrency Blackmail Network
The National Police Brigade, in coordination with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance and in collaboration with French authorities, apprehended an individual in the city of Tangier suspected of involvement in extortion, kidnapping, and ransom demands targeting cryptocurrency investors.
A statement from the General Directorate of National Security indicated that this security operation was initiated immediately after Moroccan authorities received an official complaint file from their French counterparts, detailing criminal acts allegedly committed on French territory.
Search procedures resulted in the seizure of various bladed weapons, including swords and large machetes, alongside dozens of phones and communication devices, which are currently undergoing technical analysis to determine the nature of the digital data contained within them. A sum of money allegedly linked to the criminal activities attributed to the suspect was also discovered.
According to preliminary data, the individual in question was subject to an international arrest warrant issued by the French judiciary, due to suspicions of involvement in kidnapping and extortion involving violence, money laundering, and targeting victims among cryptocurrency traders.
The suspect has been placed under police custody, pending an investigation led by the National Police Brigade under the supervision of the relevant public prosecutor’s office, while completing inquiries related to the charges against him, considering he holds Moroccan citizenship.
This operation falls within the framework of joint efforts by the National Security and Territorial Surveillance services to combat transnational organized crime, curb its funding sources, and deny those involved any safe havens or support networks.
French Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin praised the arrest in a post on X, describing it as a testament to the excellent judicial cooperation between Morocco and France, particularly in combating transcontinental criminal networks.
