Moroccan environmental gendarmerie units have carried out simultaneous raids on secret factories producing banned plastic bags, seizing nearly 70 tonnes of contraband material in a major operation against illicit manufacturing.8i
According to informed sources, the raids were conducted within 24 hours in coordination with customs surveillance teams.
Four clandestine units were dismantled in different locations, including Douar Al-Hareth Oulad Abbas in the Sidi Hajjaj Oued Hassar commune, two sites in Douar Al-Hilalat in the Mjata Oulad Taleb commune, and another unit on the outskirts of Berrechid province.
Officials confirmed that the operations led to the confiscation of large quantities of plastic bags, raw materials, and chemical substances used in their production.
Authorities also coordinated with local administrations, economic affairs departments, and regional branches of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to document violations and prepare legal cases under Law 77.15, which prohibits the production, marketing, and use of plastic ba.gs
Investigations revealed that despite repeated bans, fines, and seizures, illegal operators continued production by exploiting weak monitoring and stolen electricity from public networks.
These factories reportedly sourced raw and recycled polyethylene from unidentified suppliers, enabling them to quickly resume activities after each closure order.
Sources added that factory owners employed new tactics to mislead inspectors, including regrinding polyethylene granules, repackaging them in unmarked bags, and destroying imported containers with technical labels.
These measures made it difficult for gendarmerie, customs, and trade authorities to trace the origin of the raw material, which requires prior authorization for import.
The probes also uncovered warehouses in Mediouna and Mohammedia provinces that recently received significant polyethylene shipments. Several of these sites had already been subject to previous raids and fines.
Authorities acknowledged gaps in enforcement, noting that customs often seized raw materials but left equipment in the custody of factory owners, allowing them to restart production shortly after.
Internal affairs departments have raised concerns over suspected collusion involving local officials in Berrechid and Mediouna, with administrative and disciplinary measures expected against those implicated.
Since December 2016, Morocco has required special import licenses for polyethylene to track its use and prevent its diversion into banned products such as plastic bags and pipes.
Despite the restrictions, persistent demand for “mika” continues to fuel underground production across the Casablanca region.
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