Said Naciri denies his connection to the “Escobar of the Sahara” and attacks his former partners in court
Said Naciri, the former president of Wydad Athletic Club, denied his involvement in what is known in the media as the “Escobar of the Sahara” case, which pertains to an international drug trafficking network, before the Criminal Chamber of the Casablanca Appeals Court. He confirmed that his connections with some individuals involved in the case were purely based on friendship and social acquaintance.
During the hearing held today, Friday, Naciri defended his relationship with the accused “Dalila,” who is active in the fashion industry, stating that their connection was social and did not fall under what the police report described as a “romantic relationship.” He clarified that the term friendship did not imply any illegal or inappropriate nature, asserting, “There’s nothing of that sort.”
Regarding his association with former parliament member Belkasim Mir, Naciri explained that their first meeting took place in 2013 in the city of Oujda during Eid al-Adha, in the context of coordinating support for Fouzi Lekjaa’s candidacy for the presidency of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. He denied having any business dealings with him, aside from purchasing a villa in the California neighborhood mentioned in the case.
Naciri accused parliament member Abdul Wahid Shouqi, his partner in the company “Bibancom,” of providing false testimony with the intent to imprison him and embezzle company funds. He stated that Shouqi exploited mutual trust and relinquished an electoral seat on behalf of a shared party, adding, “He is now free while I am in prison, and my children are dispersed in exile.”
Speaking about his connection to Haj Ahmad Ben Ibrahim, dubbed the “Escobar of the Sahara,” Naciri said he met him in Casablanca in 2013, where he was living in an apartment close to a well-known café in the Maarif district, which later turned out to be owned by businessman Abd Nabi Baiawi, who is also being prosecuted in the case.
Naciri noted that he invited artist Abdul Rahim Souiri to attend a forum in Zagora at the request of Ben Ibrahim, who also suggested inviting artist Latifa Raafat, asserting that their relationship had begun prior to this event. The artist hosted a private evening in Rabat at the request of the accused financier and also invited him to her birthday party.
Many businessmen, elected officials, and former officials are being prosecuted in this case, which intertwines financial and social relationships with a cross-border network, as the public awaits the fate of one of the largest drug trafficking cases in Morocco.
