‘Sex doll invasion’ triggers raid on Chinese stalls in Morocco - but rumour may have been over-inflated

Police raided the Chinese section of a market in Morocco after rumours spread on social media that stores there were selling inflatable sex dolls, which are banned in the conservative Muslim country.

Social media users had spread a rumour that the dolls were on sale in Derb Omar, an immense wholesale market in Casablanca.

On Thursday, two local newspapers ran full-page stories on the rumours.

“Sex dolls invade the markets,” was the headline in the Arabic-language daily Asabah.

It noted that “many doubt the truth of the rumours”.

But according to local media, security forces were taking no chances. The police, including plain-clothes officers, raided the Chinese area of the market, Asabah reported.