Such incidents have occurred relatively frequently in recent months, often with an exchange of fire with the smugglers.
By TPS
IDF troops thwarted on Wednesday night a drug smuggling operation on the Egyptian border and apprehended drugs worth about NIS 6 million, the latest successful drug bust in the area.
The IDF stated that on Wednesday night, its troops identified several suspects who tried to smuggle drugs from Egyptian territory into Israeli territory in the area of the Paran Regional Brigade.
IDF troops who worked to thwart the smuggling seized about 300 kg of drugs with an estimated value of about NIS 6 million, which were transferred to the Israel Police.
Such incidents have occurred relatively frequently in recent months, often with an exchange of fire with the smugglers.
Israel in recent years has built a fence along the Egyptian border to block the flow of work migrants coming to the country from Africa through Egypt.
The tall fence has also helped slow down the prolific smuggling trade from Egypt into Israel, mostly the work of local Bedouin tribes.
Israel has deployed Special Forces to contend with the smugglers, who often become violent when encountering Israeli interceptors.