Ounahi’s ‘Exporters Won’ Remark Reignites Scrutiny of Morocco’s Cannabis Trade

ALGIERS — A post-match remark by Moroccan international footballer Azzedine Ounahi has triggered widespread debate on social media, with commentators linking his comments to Morocco’s long-standing prominence in the global cannabis trade.

Speaking after Morocco’s victory over the Netherlands, Ounahi stated, “The exporters are the ones who won.” The brief comment, widely circulated online, quickly became the subject of political and media interpretation, with several observers arguing that the wording carried unintended symbolism given Morocco’s international reputation as one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of cannabis resin.

The remark was amplified through a post published by Algeria Gate on X (formerly Twitter), accompanied by the following caption:

“Boasting about exporting… Ounahi’s statement, ‘The exporters are the ones who won,’ exposes Morocco’s reality and its leading role in cannabis production.”

The tweet rapidly attracted significant engagement, prompting renewed public discussion over Morocco’s illicit drug economy and its regional and international implications.

The controversy emerged against the backdrop of numerous international reports that continue to identify Morocco as a major actor in the global cannabis market. According to successive assessments published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Morocco has for decades remained among the world’s principal producers of cannabis resin, with cultivation concentrated largely in the Rif Mountains in the country’s north.

UN figures have previously estimated that cannabis cultivation in Morocco has covered as much as 134,000 hectares, representing a substantial proportion of agricultural land within the affected regions. Annual production has been estimated at approximately 47,000 tonnes of raw cannabis, capable of generating around 3,080 tonnes of cannabis resin, much of which has historically been destined for European markets through transnational trafficking networks.

European law-enforcement agencies have likewise continued to identify Morocco as one of the principal sources of cannabis entering the European Union, with trafficking routes frequently passing through Spain before reaching other European destinations.

Analysts have long argued that cannabis cultivation has evolved into a significant parallel economy within parts of northern Morocco. International studies have estimated that approximately 96,000 farms have historically participated in cannabis production, providing direct or indirect livelihoods for as many as 800,000 people in the Rif region.

Although Moroccan authorities have reported a significant reduction in cultivated areas over recent years, experts note that production volumes have remained comparatively stable due to the widespread adoption of higher-yield hybrid cannabis varieties, allowing output to be maintained despite smaller cultivation areas.

Morocco’s decision in 2021 to legalise cannabis cultivation for medical and industrial purposes was presented by Rabat as an effort to integrate farmers into the formal economy and reduce illicit production. However, recent data indicate that legal cultivation remains limited compared with illegal production, with roughly 5,800 hectares cultivated under the legal framework compared with more than 27,000 hectares reportedly remaining outside official regulation.

The broader security implications continue to concern regional and European authorities. International security assessments have repeatedly linked cannabis trafficking networks to organised transnational crime, including money laundering, arms trafficking and irregular migration, while experts warn that revenues generated by illicit drug trafficking continue to strengthen criminal organisations operating across the Mediterranean region.

Beyond security concerns, specialists also highlight the wider public health, environmental and social consequences associated with large-scale cannabis trafficking, including addiction, environmental degradation through deforestation and soil depletion, and the continued expansion of organised criminal networks operating across North Africa and Europe.

Against this broader backdrop, Ounahi’s brief post-match statement has generated discussion extending well beyond football, reviving debate over one of the region’s most persistent transnational security and governance challenges.