Israeli Police arrest dozens in major corruption operation at Ashdod Port
- In Reports
- 04:25 PM, Sep 10, 2024
- Myind Staff
On Tuesday, Israeli police arrested dozens of people, including high-ranking officials, in a major corruption operation at Ashdod Port. The arrests followed a long-term undercover investigation into allegations of bribery, tax evasion, and large-scale smuggling.
The covert investigation was led by an undercover agent known as "Jack Sparrow," named after the fictional pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean. This operation is the longest undercover mission in Israeli police history, lasting 4.5 years. The agent, trained by the Israeli Tax Authority, worked as a customs officer at the port, revealing a network of illegal activities involving Israeli and Palestinian importers, customs brokers, and public officials.
The agent uncovered millions of dollars in illegal activities, including smuggling luxury goods, counterfeit items, and even weapons. Some smuggled items were hidden in unusual ways, such as tobacco concealed inside mannequin parts, luxury clothing and footwear hidden in containers meant for low-cost apparel, and vehicles smuggled without approval from the Transportation Ministry. Other hidden items included weapons and ammunition inside rolled-up carpets, small firearm parts in boxes of screws, large amounts of Kamagra gel without Health Ministry approval inside pickle barrels, weapon parts welded into machinery, and illegal drugs. Baby products and toys lacking safety certification were also among the smuggled items intended for distribution across Israel and the West Bank.
The operation led to overnight raids across Israel and the West Bank, resulting in the seizure of over 1 million shekels ($260,000) in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets. The suspects are now facing charges of money laundering, bribery, and smuggling and are being questioned by the police.
Ashdod Port, Israel's largest commercial port, handles the majority of the country’s maritime trade. Shaul Schneider, Chairman of the Ashdod Port Board of Directors, clarified in an interview with Ynet that the investigation was conducted by the police and customs authorities, not by the port itself. “This entire process was conducted by customs, and the port has no hand in it,” Schneider said. “Customs workers are not employees of Ashdod Port, and none of our staff have been arrested. This case concerns the Tax Authority and customs. They sought headlines at the port's expense, and the damage has already been done.”
Image source: ANI
Comments