1 The Relevance of the Mocro Mafia
The Mocro Mafia is one of the most powerful criminal organisations in Europe, reaching far beyond the Netherlands, though it is often under-acknowledged. Billions of euros in narcotics sales (especially cocaine), extreme violence between members and towards high profile figures such as journalists and lawyers, and corruption of institutions are only some of the activities that make the Mocro Mafia so relevant.
“We definitely have the characteristics of a narco-state […] if you look at the infrastructure, the big money earned by organised crime, the parallel economy. Yes, we have a narco-state.” Jan Struijs, chairman of the Dutch Police Union, launched this warning in 2019. Other Dutch officials have followed, stating that organized crime is well-established inside national institutions. And in the Netherlands, when talking of organised crime, we are talking of the Mocro Mafia. In the past decade, Law Enforcement against the group has intensified. The Marengo Trial and the arrests of Ridouan Taghi and Othman El Ballouti could be crucial in dismantling the networks. Yet, doubt persists: Can the Mocro Mafia be broken by cutting off its head, or are they so solidly embedded that their empire will persist, irrespective of law enforcement action?
[source]
Images Sourced From: Alacoolwiki, David Sedlecký,
2 Origins of the Mocro Mafia
The Mocro Mafia (a term coined by Dutch media) is a network of organized criminals. It mainly operates in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Predominantly connecting Dutch and Moroccan criminal organizations, the Mocro Mafia is a crucial entity of the European drug trade. Their origins and expansion to international prominence, from the 1990s to today, are fundamental to understanding the nature of this organization.
2.1 The 1990s – The Mocro Mafia Emergence
The Netherlands adopted a liberal stance on cannabis in the 1970s. This market flourished and grew for decades, granting a profitable opportunity for interested individuals. During this period, more specifically in the 1990s, Dutch nationals of Moroccan origin were able to use their familial connections to Morocco’s Rif region and other major cannabis-producing areas to build a solid trafficking network. Being that cannabis was in high demand in Europe, groups became increasingly organized to capitalize on the opportunity. At this stage, certain figures, such as Ridouan Taghi, began a career leading them to the top ranks of the region’s organized crime.
2.2 The 2000s – Expansion and Diversification
Throughout the end of the 90s and early 2000s, there was a turning moment for the criminal groups connecting Morocco and the Netherlands. These groups recognised the great profitability of cocaine over cannabis-related products. Through the establishment of direct connections with Latin American drug cartels, great quantities of cocaine were imported through the key ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. Both Colombian and Mexican cartels used groups like the Mocro Mafia to assist their drug routes into Europe. The term Mocro Mafia gained prominence during this period. With the strategic move to cocaine, they increased their revenue and presence, becoming a high-status group in Europe’s crime community and drug trade.
2.3 Recent years – International Prominence
Heading into the 2010s, the Mocro Mafia had a strong position. As a dominant force in the European drug market, they reportedly controlled up to a third of the cocaine distributed across the entire continent. As it often happens, the growth and dominance of a group lead to confrontations that often escalate into violence. Both within the group and outside it, the Mocro Mafia became known for its violent means.
A relevant incident, attracting great attention, took place in 2012. The theft of a large shipment of cocaine (200kg) in Antwerp’s port led to a brutal gang war. The conflict would last until 2017. Over 100 people are estimated to have died during this time across the Netherlands, Belgium, Morocco, and Spain. From this time onwards, extreme violence and high-profile homicides became a symbol of the Mocro Mafia’s actions. The assassination of crime journalist Peter de Vries in 2021, and lawyer Derk Wiersum in 2019, showcase the group’s resolve and its deliberate use of overtly violent means.
3 The Marengo Trial – Mocro Mafia’s Key Figures
Considered the largest criminal trial in Dutch history, the Marengo trial is considered the pivotal moment in the fight against the Mocro Mafia. It exposed how deeply and extensively the group is present in European organised crime. It also gave insight into the use of encrypted communications (specifically Sky ECC) for illicit activities coordination. Ridouan Taghi is the central figure of the case. Allegedly, Taghi is the mastermind behind the large criminal network responsible for violence, assassinations, and drug trafficking. The broader trial involved a total of 17 defendants related to the Mocro Mafia, accused of a series of crimes across Belgium and the Netherlands.
Violence and intimidation accompanied the trial. The assassination of lawyer Derk Wiersum, who represented a key state witness, underscores the ruthless nature of the criminal group, and its intentions to influence legal proceedings and scare potential witnesses.
[source]
3.1 Ridouan Taghi
Ridouan Taghi is widely considered to be the main leader and most powerful figure within the Mocro Mafia. He is allegedly responsible for large-scale drug trafficking, in direct coordination with Latin American cartels, and for ordering violent operations and assassinations. Born in Morocco but living in the Netherlands from an early age, Taghi became involved in youth gangs around Utrecht and was first arrested in 1992 for burglary and weapons possession. Rising through the Mocro Mafia ranks through violence, he reached a leadership position. His direct connections within Latin American cartels were crucial towards building a drug empire controlling over a third of the European cocaine market.
His arrest is central to the Marengo Trial. Taghi was caught in Medellin, Colombia, and his extradition order was signed on 27 October 2019. He was, at the time, based in Dubai, from where he allegedly managed the criminal network. Through his capture, the Mocro Mafia’s scale and reach were exposed. Millions of euros in the form of laundered assets and evident links with corrupt officials were unveiled. It is crucial to acknowledge that his incarceration has not limited his organization’s activity.
[source; source; source; source]
3.2 Othman El Ballouti
On 3 December 2024, Belgian police announced the capture of Othman El Ballouti, another top Mocro Mafia member. With nearly USD $100 million in assets laundered in the UAE and China, he had ties with Ecuadorian cartel leaders, Saudi leaders, and Spanish drug lords. He was allegedly a crucial actor in the financial and logistics sectors of the cocaine trade. Involved as a docker in the port of Antwerp from an early age, he is a second-generation Mocro Mafia member. His capture marks a significant blow to the crime group, yet the Mocro Mafia’s ability to substitute him with new leadership might limit the impact of his arrest.
El Ballouti’s extradition to Belgium showcases a positive trend in international cooperation towards tackling transnational organized crime. Specifically, the UAE’s 2021 bilateral cooperation agreement is showing a positive impact, with El Ballouti being the 5th subject of extradition since. We expect his case, once processed, to reveal crucial information on the Mocro Mafia’s laundering operations, relation with corrupt officials, and overall financial tactics.
[source]
4 Main Activities
4.1 Cocaine Trafficking as Core Business
The primary revenue of the Mocro Mafia is undisputedly cocaine trafficking. Importing mainly from South America to European ports, their smuggling network amounts to over USD $10 billion yearly. Their activities could not be so successful and valuable without direct collaboration with cartels, allowing them to access wholesale shipments. Those are extracted in various ways. Inside contacts and corruption of port officials are only one of them. Among the most relevant is that of so-called “drug extractors.” Young individuals are brought into the ports through empty containers and extract the drugs from transport containers.
The redistribution of shipments is widespread in Europe. The German, Spanish, French and British markets are all connected in this network. Nonetheless, control is not without conflict. Internal betrayals and fights with competing organizations led to many issues across key European cities.
4.2 Money Laundering
Evidence of the Mocro Mafia’s sophisticated money laundering schemes came to light through the El Ballouti arrest and case. Drug proceeds are recycled through real estate in Northern European states, Spain, and Dubai. Shell companies are set up, and front businesses in various industries serve to disguise illicit transactions. Namely, El Ballouti laundered his money (reportedly over USD $100 million) through various businesses across the UAE and China.
[source]
4.3 Killings and Violence
The Mocro Mafia is infamous for its targeted assassinations and the use of violence to increase its power. These operations target rivals, punish informants, and retaliate against authorities.
There are numerous notable Mocro Mafia related assassinations: those related to internal rivalries following the 2012 Antwerp Cocaine theft; that of lawyer Derk Wiersum in 2019, which sent a sign of intimidation to the judicial system involved in the Marengo Trial; the gunning down of journalist Peter de Vries in 2021, exposing journalist intimidation as one of the group’s strategies. The Mocro Mafia has repeatedly shown its ability to fearlessly coordinate violent operations internationally.
5 The Operational Stage
The Mocro Mafia’s presence and operations range across various countries. Central strongholds are major European ports, specifically Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Antwerp (Belgium). The Netherlands are acknowledged to be their primary base, followed by Belgium. Germany is increasingly becoming a centre of operations and Spain and Morocco play a role in the Mocro Mafia’s operations.
5.1 The Netherlands and Belgium
The Netherlands are the undisputed heart of the Mocro Mafia’s operations. The Port of Rotterdam is a particular hotspot. Being one of the busiest maritime ports in the entirety of Europe, it is the main entry point for drug shipments. Law enforcement operations and seizures in recent years focused heavily on the port, yet the level of criminal activity remains high.
The Belgian Port of Antwerp is also a crucial hub, with the mafia having an established role in its logistics network.
The Mocro Maffia also operates in Amsterdam and Antwerp city. Both serve as a financial centre for money laundering. The latter is known for its diamonds and jewel markets, with the potential to recycle trafficking money. Mocro-related killings and violence have occurred in both cities.
5.2 Germany
In recent years, German authorities have highlighted how the country is becoming a secondary battleground for the Mocro Mafia. Law enforcement reported rising drug-related violence in Cologne, Duisburg and Frankfurt, related to trafficking from Dutch and Belgian networks. The German Federal Police also warned about trafficking-related violence connected to the Mocro Mafia. Differently from Belgium and the Netherlands, the Germans only started to intensify their efforts recently, and the Mocro Mafia might already be well embedded in local criminal networks.
5.3 Morocco and Spain
Morocco plays a crucial role in the supply chain of the Mocro Mafia. Originally a hotspot of hashish production, it is now also a cocaine transit spot. The group’s connections in the Rif region were maintained through time, and local traffickers remained involved in the movement of drugs. Although the Moroccan government tries to crack down on certain routes, the sheer corruption and the careful organization of traffickers maintain the trade. Specifically, the Tangier and Casablanca ports are often considered large transit points for drugs heading into Europe.
Spain also works as a transit hub, as its close geographical proximity to Morocco facilitates shipments of all sorts of goods. Furthermore, certain areas of Spain (especially the Costa del Sol region) have become common refuges for criminals attempting to avoid European law enforcement.
[source]
6 Conclusion
The rise and establishment of the Mocro Mafia across Europe reflects on issues of law enforcement, port security, and oversight of financial flows. Authorities continue to tackle the criminal network, yet evidence of their adaptability shows the issue needs to be addressed at a systemic level. Criminal trials like the Marengo one, and individual arrests, will only prove effective if placed in a broader context.
Port officials’ corruption, lack of financial checks and regulations to prevent laundering, and the use of encrypted communication tools all show weak governance to be the issue. Perhaps, a coordinated multinational approach could achieve greater results. As the issue of Mocro Mafia activity becomes more pressing in Germany, Northern European countries might find a chance to join forces to tackle it.
