国际英语新闻:9.1 tonnes of cannabis seized in SW Morocco

RABAT, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan police said in a statement on Saturday that they have seized 9 tonnes and 177 kg of cannabis near the southwestern city of Guelmim.

The banned substance was concealed in 337 packages, and was buried in the sand, along a desertic area with a view to transporting it by international drug rings, the statement said.

This operation is part of efforts made by Moroccan security services to fight against cross-border crimes, including international drug trafficking, the statement added.

Despite efforts to crack down on cannabis cultivation during the past decade, Morocco remains one of the world's largest producers of the narcotic plant, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Moroccan security services seized a total of 217 tonnes of cannabis in 2020, an increase of 37 tonnes compared to 2019, according to official statistics.