Moroccan politician and ex-football chief denies ties to drug trafficking case

Said Naciri, a Moroccan MP and former chairman of WydadCasablanca football club, denied all charges Friday in a high-profile drug trafficking case linked to a jailed kingpin, AFP reports. Naciri, a prominent figure in the ruling coalition’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), is one of two main defendants in a trial involving 25 accused.

He is charged with drug possession, trafficking, export, and corruption. In court, Naciri pledged to provide evidence to clear his name and help establish the truth. The trial, which began in May 2024, was adjourned until April 18.

The case stems from accusations made by Malian drug trafficker Ahmed Ben Brahim—dubbed the "Pablo Escobar of the Sahara"—who is serving a 10-year sentence. Naciri and co-defendant Abdennabi Bioui, also a former PAM official, have been held in pre-trial detention since December 2023 amid Morocco’s crackdown on organised drug crime.