Moroccan mafia

Lore & Background

Moroccan criminal networks in Europe have been active mainly since the 1990s, consisting mostly of Belgian and Dutch citizens with a Moroccan immigrant background. These networks have privileged relationships with Colombian and Mexican cartels and often import drugs through the harbours of Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Algeciras. The Moroccan mafia does not include Moroccan Jewish crime families such as the Abergil, Abutbul, and Domrani clans, which are considered part of the Israeli mafia, though Moroccan-Israeli mafia clans have collaborated closely with the Mocro Maffia in the Netherlands and Belgium, especially in worldwide distribution of synthetic drugs like MDMA, as the Netherlands is the largest producer of MDMA and amphetamines globally.

In 2012, a large cocaine shipment was stolen by the Turtle clan in the Port of Antwerp, leading to a gang war described by Dutch and Belgian media as the Mocro-War. Many people of Dutch- and Belgian-Moroccan descent were killed in shootings across Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, and Suriname. Ridouan Taghi became a prominent figure with a large share in the European cocaine trade and was responsible for many gangland killings; he is currently jailed in a maximum security prison in the Netherlands awaiting trial. His right-hand man Saïd Razzouki was arrested in Bogotá, extradited to the Netherlands, and in February 2024 sentenced to life imprisonment for ten murders.

The Moroccan mafia has appeared in most large Belgian and Dutch cities including Antwerp, Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Almere. In the mid-2010s, organisations were also established in southern Spain (mainly around the Costa del Sol), as well as in South America and the United Arab Emirates. According to Dutch investigator Pieter Tops, the Moroccan mafia gains revenue of around €20 billion a year in the Netherlands alone.

Reader's Guide

The Moroccan mafia's significance lies in its central role in the European drug trade, particularly in trafficking cocaine and synthetic drugs through key ports like Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Algeciras. Its activities have led to widespread violence, including the Mocro-War that began in 2012, resulting in numerous killings across multiple countries. The organisation's influence extends beyond drug trafficking to human trafficking, arms trafficking, and contraband smuggling. The Marengo trial against Ridouan Taghi's organisation is considered the biggest criminal case in Dutch history, highlighting the scale of the threat. The murder of crime journalist Peter R. de Vries in 2021, suspected to be ordered by Taghi's organisation, underscored the mafia's willingness to target high-profile individuals. Law enforcement operations such as Operation Sky and the Kali-team unit in Antwerp have been established to dismantle these networks. The mafia's origins trace back to Moroccan immigration from the Rif region to the Benelux as guest workers in the 1960s and 1970s, with the drug trade following these communities. The term 'Mocro Maffia' was popularised by author Martijn Schrijver in 2014, while 'Borgerokko Maffia' refers to networks in Antwerp. The mafia's legacy includes a lasting impact on European security and drug policy.

Did You Know?

• The term 'Mocro Maffia' was made public by author Martijn Schrijver in 2013, following his book published in 2014.
• In September 2019, Dutch politician Geert Wilders pleaded for a black list of dangerous criminal organisations after the beheading of Nabil Amzieb and attacks on news outlets.
• The Kali-team is a Belgian police unit in Antwerp established in 2018 to combat organised crime and drug trafficking in the port.