07-05-2025
Myanmar Case: Casablanca Court Tries Four Moroccans for Human Trafficking
Rabat – The Criminal Court in Casablanca has opened the case of four young Moroccan men who returned from what they described as the 'hell' of Myanmar. These men had been held by online scam companies near the Myanmar-Thailand border and are now facing serious charges related to human trafficking and kidnapping.
The four individuals, originally from the city of Marrakech, are currently in detention at the Ain Sebaa local prison in Casablanca. They had returned to Morocco after escaping from camps run by criminal groups. These groups were involved in digital fraud and cybercrime, and had lured young people with fake job offers promising high salaries.
According to lawyer Yassine Moujan, who represents one of the accused, the investigative phase ended last week after months of examining complaints and testimonies, SNRT News reported. One of the men was initially released under judicial supervision but has since been arrested and added to the case.
The court is expected to announce the date for the first public hearings soon. The young men are being prosecuted for allegedly participating in human trafficking, kidnapping, and illegal detention.
Interestingly, the complaints were filed not only by the victims and their families, but also by the accused themselves, each party blaming the other for their involvement in the scam and for paying ransom money to secure release from the camps.
Back in late 2024, Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that 34 Moroccan nationals were freed from captivity in Southeast Asia. These individuals had been trapped by criminal networks operating in countries like Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
The ministry revealed that they had been detained in regions controlled by armed ethnic groups, outside the control of Myanmar's central government. Many were subjected to forced labor, exploitation, and, in some cases, torture. Tags: human traffickingkidnapMyanmar
