A cooperation agreement on extradition between Morocco and the Netherlands was signed on December 18, in Rabat, during a meeting between the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, and his Dutch counterpart, Dilan Zegerius.
Part of the activation of the legal and judicial cooperation program between the two countries, this agreement aims to enable the transfer of a suspect or a convict from one country to another to help in the fight against cross-border crime.
According to a press release from the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, this agreement constitutes an effective mechanism in the fight against cross-border crime and an essential pillar for strengthening the Kingdom’s position in the fight against transcontinental crime.
“This agreement is a continuation of the judicial cooperation protocol between the two countries, and we consider it a great illustration of the solid historical partnership uniting the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” stated Ouahbi.
For her part, the Dutch minister affirmed that organized crime transcends borders and that “international criminal networks continually work to strengthen their illegal practices in arms, drug and human trafficking,” explaining that these networks constantly change their smuggling methods, to illegally transfer money abroad for laundering.
“This also applies to our investigation services, which are working closely with other countries to prevent criminals from seeking refuge outside their borders,” added Zegerius, who was leading a high-level delegation.
“Through this agreement, we are strengthening the solid relations that we have built with Morocco, and we are intensifying the common fight against organized cross-border crime,” concluded the Dutch official.
This examined a series of issues linked to coordination in the field of judicial cooperation, the fight against organized crime, money laundering, the fight against suspicious banking transactions, financial delinquency, and confiscation of criminal assets.
The meeting was an opportunity to strengthen the ties of friendship between Morocco and the Netherlands, facilitate legal and judicial cooperation, and exchange expertise to serve the best interests of the two countries.