Safety Tips in Province de Tanger

We traveled from Casablanca to Tanger in a small truck, carrying the instruments of the band we'd been touring with. Everybody had warned us not to stop anywhere, but we ran out of diesel and rather than taking the risk of getting stranded in the middle of nowhere we stopped at a petrol station... While my partner was paying inside, five or six young men were checking out the truck. As soon as we started driving they jumped on and within 5 minutes they had broken the lock and were inside. The next 'gendarmerie' was 100 kms further. This happened in the middle of the night, and we had to wake up the gendarmes (who were very friendly and correct) to help us search the truck. Two boys were hidden between some speakers, a third one was found in a flight case (smoking a cigarette!). We also found a massive knife. (We later heard they need this to cut open the roof when they get to Spain.)
In Tanger trucks need to go through a scanner, any illegal found in the truck will be your responsibility, and you will be seen as a smuggler.
Any damage done to materials by these people will be very difficult to claim back from the insurance company, because gendarmes refuse to let you make a formal complaint. Unemployment and poverty is so great in this country that most people don't blame anyone taking a risk to leave.
I can imagine this could be a problem for people traveling in a van too. So if you leave the country via Tanger, be very, very aware of unwanted guests.

Just go with an open mind .. that is way you are travelling ... or not?

You will be ask for money, you will not find things as clean as you wish, you will have to bargain for nearly everything, you may have stomach problems ... but you will fnd great people that looks to your eyes, that have always great smiles and a beautiful rich cultur.

If arriving into Tanger seaport expect to be met by many poeple offering to find you a hotel and taxi. They will be very, very pushy. Just say no, or don't even respond.

They may even try and get into the taxi with you, DON'T let them, they will take that as you agreeing to their services. If you do agree to their services, agree a price, and make it very, very clear.

The hotels are five minute walking distance, not a dangerous walk either. If you do take a cab remember it is a two minute ride to the medina. The streets look dark and threatening, when arriving at night, but just walk confidently straight to a hotel and start bargaining.

In the end, if feel too threatened, just go to a cop and tell them this guy is threatening you.

this royal house is garded by soldiers with guns,you are NOT allowed to take a picture,but i had the change to take one:-))
And the soldiers saw me and they said (it's ok).And as you can see i took it from the car while we were driving:-)

I know a lot of acquaintances who went to Morocco to have smoking hashish during their vacation.

It’s not a problem to smoke out there, but a great warning:

DON’T SMUGGLE HASHISH OUT OF THE COUNTRY!!!

If it is just a little bit, take the risk if you want to, (don’t cry when you’re in jail), but never buy a big packet from a farmer. You will be catched for sure on the border, and the farmer gets his hashish back!!!

And you…. ????

For the rest it looks like every town or country: BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS!!!