Moroccan authorities have stepped up security around Fnideq and Belyounech after false claims circulated about organised migration attempts toward Ceuta, prompting an end of year alert across forested and coastal areas near the enclave.
Security sources said the Interior Ministry has ordered heightened vigilance throughout December, with reinforced ground patrols and aerial surveillance in hills and woodland routes used in past crossings.
Checkpoints have been expanded and mobile units deployed to seal informal paths toward the frontier.
National police, auxiliary forces and the gendarmerie have been reinforced to deter illegal crossings, prevent disorder and disrupt any attempt to mobilise groups for irregular migration, the sources said.
Senior officials are overseeing the operations.
Authorities said similar rumours surface each year before the holidays, often claiming that security at the border has been relaxed. Such messages draw people from across the country and abroad, including minors, into risky gatherings near the boundary.
Security officials said technical units are tracking online posts linked to what is known locally as harga and warned that those spreading false information face prosecution under Morocco criminal law, including possible jail terms and fines.
The Interior Ministry said the measures aim to preempt any attempt before it takes place and reduce the human and security risks associated with crowd buildups along the frontier.
Morocco has increasingly relied on layered border controls and intelligenceled policing to disrupt migrant smuggling networks and prevent sudden surges tied to misinformation campaigns, particularly during periods of high travel.
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