Nine individuals are set to stand trial at the Bayonne Criminal Court, accused of involvement in a significant drug trafficking network operating between Morocco, the French Basque Country, and the Landes department. The investigation, led by the Bordeaux branch of the Central Office for the Suppression of Major Organized Crime (OCRGDF), uncovered a sophisticated operation importing resinous cannabis from Morocco.
The suspects, aged between 25 and 40, were arrested in a series of coordinated operations in late 2025. Authorities allege the network used maritime routes to transport the drugs to the southwestern French coast, before distributing them locally. The investigation reportedly began following increased surveillance of suspicious coastal activities in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Prosecutors have charged the defendants with drug trafficking, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering. The trial, scheduled for the coming weeks, will examine the scale of the network's operations and the roles of each accused individual. If convicted, they face substantial prison sentences under French narcotics laws.
