Couscous connection Couscous connection The couscous connection was an international drug trafficking gang based in Paris in the 1980s. The gang imported heroin and cocaine from Tunisia via Amsterdam and Brussels to Paris, where they distributed the drugs. The trial of the gang members in 1992 received widespread publicity since the older brother of the president of Tunisia was charged and convicted "in absentia" for his involvement in laundering the proceeds. The investigation began in January 1989 after an informer gave drug squad investigators in Belleville, Paris the names of three couriers bringing heroin and cocaine from Amsterdam and Brussels to Paris.
Couscous has also become common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece. Indeed, many polls have indicated that it is often a favorite dish. Couscous is served in many Maghrebi restaurants all over the world. In France, Spain and Italy, the word "couscous" ("cuscús" in Spanish and Italian; "cuscuz" in Portuguese) usually refers to couscous together with the stew. Packaged sets containing a box of quick-preparation couscous and a can of vegetables and, generally, meat are sold in French, Spanish and Italian grocery stores and supermarkets. In France, it is generally served with harissa sauce, a style inherited from the Tunisian cuisine.