The "Forest 33" Republic... Human Bones Found and the "Al-Rifi" Gang Referred to the Courts!

Security and judicial developments related to the “Forest 33” (Trontroua) case in the areas of Mohammedia and Mansouria have reached unprecedented levels of gravity, after members of the National Judicial Investigation Brigade of the Royal Gendarmerie referred four suspects belonging to the “Al-Rifi” gang to the courts on charges related to the murder and torture of two young men.

At the same time, the Regional Gendarmerie Command in Settat continued intensive field sweeps and large-scale raids, targeting hideouts and makeshift shacks built of wood and tin, which were being used to distribute various types of drugs, such as bufa and hashish, and to store an arsenal of firearms, bladed weapons, and motorcycles.

The case took a pivotal and horrific turn when forensic and technical teams discovered human bones and remains inside plastic bags buried among the trees in the forest, prompting authorities to close all forest access points and impose a total ban on media coverage to facilitate the crime scene investigation.

These developments shed light on the human and social suffering of drug addiction victims in the region, amid public outcry and debate following media reports and social media posts condemning the transformation of the area into what resembles “a lawless den,” as well as calls from human rights advocates to continue the investigations and hold those responsible for negligence accountable.