This article provides an overview of the history of the Northern Mediterranean part of Morocco, particularly the mountainous provinces of Al Hoceima, Nador, and the province of Oujda which borders on Algeria. It is from this region that nearly three quarters of the immigrant community of approximately 300,000 Moroccans in the Netherlands originate. The authors describe this region as being a buffer zone and having been a Spanish protectorate. It was primarily a berber speaking population and one of the poorest and most marginal areas of Morocco when massive labor migration began towards Europe in 1960. Now, 40 years later, large amounts of money circulate in the region due to the migrants in Europe sending money back home. This has fueled large scale smuggling, human trafficking, and increased the production of marijuana and its distribution in Europe. The profound and irreversible socio-economic and political impacts of these activities on the region are described. A list of reference sources is included.