Hoax event in Morocco on Sat 2nd December 2023

Quebec police say authorities in Morocco have arrested a man who was allegedly behind a series of phony bomb threats sent to several institutions across the province.

The provincial police force says the unnamed, 45-year-old male suspect was arrested in the Moroccan town of Tafraoute, roughly 230 kilometres southwest of Marrakech.

The arrest follows what police describe as a mass e-mailing of fake bomb threats across Canada and other countries demanding money in exchange for the location of explosives.

Quebec police say they've identified around 50 such cases in the province targeting schools, businesses, offices, governments and media outlets.

The series of incidents between Oct. 18 and Nov. 27 led to an international investigation and the arrest in Morocco earlier this week.

Ontario Provincial Police announced on Thursday that they had "strong reason" to believe a person arrested in Morocco by Belgian police was also allegedly behind bomb threats against schools in that province last month.