Moroccan navy kills hashish trafficker

RABAT, Nov 29 (Reuters) Morocco's navy shot dead at least one hashish trafficker and wounded another in a rare clash in the Mediterranean Sea, official news agency MAP and a rights group said.

Rif Human Rights Association chairman Chakib Khayari said hashish smugglers boarding a speedboat fired at a Moroccan navy patrol attempting to stop them near Tazaghine, about 100 km west of the northern city of Nador.

''A gun battle ensued with both sides exchanging fire. Two traffickers were killed,'' Khayari, whose group is widely seen as well informed about hashish trafficking in Northern Morocco.

Official news agency MAP quoted an official source as saying the boat's driver was killed, another person was wounded and two other people were arrested.

The boat, carrying 760kg of hashish, was sailing to the Spanish coast, Khayari said yesterday.

Official sources say smugglers use speedboats to ship hashish as far as Barcelona in Spain or Marseille in France from Moroccan coastal regions like Tangier or Nador.

Morocco is the main source of hashish trafficking to Europe via Spain.

REUTERS SBA BST0438