From Jordan to Judea and Samaria: Israel uncovers drone-based gun-smuggling network

Drones are used to smuggle guns from Jordan into Judea and Samaria, Israeli security agency warns.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli security forces uncovered a major weapons smuggling network that used drones to move arms across the eastern border from Jordan to Judea and Samaria, Israeli authorities said Monday.

In a joint statement, the Shin Bet, IDF, and Israel Police said the investigation began several months ago after intelligence from the Shin Bet led IDF forces to identify a drone crossing from Jordan into Israeli territory in the areas of the 96th and 80th divisions.

The drone was intercepted while carrying several handguns, the agencies said.

Over the past several months, four Israeli citizens from the Negev and another suspect from Judea and Samaria were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the smuggling network. Two of the suspects were arrested during an attempted smuggling operation while carrying 10 Glock 17 pistols and 10 matching magazines.

The suspects were named as Wahel al-Tzara’ah, Madian al-Tzara’ah, Zeid Abu Gwayed, and Ali al-Tzara’ah, all residents of the Negev, and Nassar Nagada, a resident of Yatta in southern Judea.

According to the statement, the Shin Bet and the Southern District police unit investigating nationalist crime found that members of the network were involved in several drone-based smuggling operations from the Jordanian border.

The agencies said the group smuggled about 44 handguns into Israel and about 120 kilograms of hashish into Jordan.

Investigators also found that some of the smuggled weapons, including M-16 rifles and ammunition, were sold to a Palestinian Arab and distributed through him in the territory.

Following the Shin Bet and police investigation, the Southern District Prosecutor’s Office filed a serious indictment against the suspects at the Beersheba District Court.

“This is a significant thwarting of an infrastructure whose activity harmed state security,” the agencies said.

“The findings of the investigation point to the close and dangerous connection between weapons smuggling at the borders and terrorist activity that could harm the citizens of the State of Israel,” they added.

The Shin Bet, IDF and Israel Police said they “view with severity any involvement or assistance by Israeli citizens in terrorist activity and weapons smuggling” and would continue working to stop such activity and prosecute those involved.

JordanJudea and Samariaweapons smuggling