Moroccan authorities have arrested a man believed to be a central figure in a string of high-profile crypto-related kidnappings that have shaken France in recent months.
The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou, was apprehended following a joint operation between Morocco’s national police and intelligence services. Acting on a request from French law enforcement, authorities reportedly found Bajjou in possession of multiple bladed weapons and several mobile phones at the time of his arrest.
French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, hailed the arrest as a major win in the fight against organized crime, lauding Morocco’s cooperation.
“I sincerely thank Morocco for this arrest, which demonstrates the excellent judicial cooperation between our two countries, particularly against organized crime,”
Darmanin posted on X on June 4.
Bajjou had been on the radar of international law enforcement for over a year, with Interpol issuing a red notice for his capture in 2023. He is suspected of having links to a growing wave of abductions targeting individuals connected to the cryptocurrency sector in France.
One of the most brazen incidents occurred on May 13 in Paris, when attackers allegedly tried to abduct the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, the CEO of French crypto exchange Paymium, in broad daylight. Eyewitness footage captured by bystanders showed the victims resisting the masked assailants, who ultimately retreated into a waiting van and fled the scene.
Earlier that month, on May 3, police rescued the father of a crypto entrepreneur who had been held hostage for several days as part of a €7 million (approximately $7.8 million) extortion attempt. In a separate January case, David Balland, co-founder of the crypto wallet company Ledger, was kidnapped from his home in central France and held for more than 24 hours before being freed in a police raid.
In response to the escalating threats, French authorities have begun implementing enhanced security protocols for cryptocurrency executives and their families. These include emergency response priority lines, in-home security evaluations, and safety briefings from law enforcement officials.
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