Rabat Hosts Regional Workshop on Tracking, Seizing, and Confiscating International Criminal Assets
On the morning of Monday, June 16, 2025, a regional workshop on "Tracking, Seizing, and Confiscating Criminal Assets" was opened in Rabat, organized at the Sofitel Hotel – Rose Gardens, with participation from judicial officials and representatives of national and international institutions concerned with combating financial crime.
In his opening remarks, the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation and head of the Public Prosecution emphasized the growing importance of tracking and freezing illicit assets, describing it as a "fundamental pillar" in fighting financial crimes, money laundering, terrorism financing, and corruption.
The judicial official highlighted that transnational organized crime no longer adopts traditional forms; rather, it has begun to invest in the legitimate economy, threatening financial and social stability, especially as annual proceeds from money laundering exceed $2 trillion, according to International Monetary Fund estimates.
In response to these challenges, the Attorney General asserted that Morocco’s criminal policy adopts a continuous and sustainable approach that aligns with international standards. He noted that this direction led to the kingdom’s exit from the enhanced follow-up list in 2023, after implementing the recommendations, particularly Recommendation 38 related to mutual legal assistance, where the Public Prosecution issued circulars urging immediate execution of seizure and confiscation requests in coordination with foreign authorities.
In this context, the head of the Public Prosecution regarded the freezing, seizing, and recovering of assets as no longer merely a judicial procedure but a strategic tool to deprive criminals of their proceeds, compensate victims, and return stolen funds to the state treasury, highlighting the role of international cooperation in enhancing the effectiveness of financial investigations, especially with the use of cryptocurrencies and digital technologies in concealing criminal proceeds.
He pointed out Morocco’s engagement in several international initiatives, such as the project to establish the "MENA ARIN" network for asset recovery in North Africa and the Middle East, and contributing to the launch of the African forum for practitioners in this field, alongside cooperation with Interpol in a project on a Silver Bulletin for tracking criminal funds.
At the national level, the Attorney General reaffirmed the continued efforts of public prosecutions in combating money laundering and terrorism financing through activating financial investigations, achieving coordination among competent authorities, accelerating processing rates, and strengthening international cooperation.
He concluded his remarks by inviting attendees to deepen discussions on mechanisms to improve the performance of law enforcement agencies in tracking and confiscating assets, looking forward to enhancing joint efforts and exchanging experiences within the "MENA ARIN" network to address new challenges in combating transnational financial crime.
