Police bust underground drug tunnel from Morocco to Spanish enclave of Ceuta

Discovery highlights persistent smuggling infrastructure despite Morocco's expanding legal cannabis market.

FILE — police lights · Tony Webster / CC BY-SA 2.0

Spanish and Moroccan authorities uncovered an underground drug tunnel connecting Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, according to reporting by Euronews. The discovery underscores ongoing illicit trafficking activity across the border even as Morocco's legal cannabis sector expands—the country's medical market was valued at $15 billion amid Rif legalization, and domestic producers have released over 140 therapeutic cannabis products.

Morocco has logged significant seizures in recent months, with police nabbing nearly 1.9 tons in a single operation and authorities dismantling three criminal networks while seizing 100kg, per earlier reports. Yet parallel busts—including a 2.7-tonne smuggling case to France and a 3.4-ton seizure near Casablanca—suggest underground supply chains remain active despite enforcement efforts.

The tunnel discovery raises questions about whether Morocco's regulatory framework and legitimate export channels are effectively displacing black-market trafficking, or whether illicit operations continue to thrive independently. Watch for whether Spanish or Moroccan authorities detail the tunnel's operational history and estimated throughput.