IDF thwarts attempt to smuggle 7M shekels in cocaine into Israel

Suspects apprehended along the Egyptian border.

By Taylor Levy, TPS

The IDF foiled on Tuesday night a drug smuggling operation on the Egyptian border in which smugglers attempted to traffic about 7 million shekels worth of drugs into Israel.

IDF troops who arrived on the scene identified three suspects who sought to smuggle the drugs into Israel from the area of the Yoav Territorial Brigade along the Egyptian border.

The IDF seized about 28 kilograms of cocaine, which is estimated to be worth 7 million shekels. The drugs were transferred to the Israeli Police for further analysis.

Incidents of drug smuggling attempts along the Egyptian border have become frequent in recent months – just two weeks ago a similar attempt to smuggle drugs worth 2.5 million shekels was thwarted by the IDF. However, the smuggling of cocaine is fairly rare, as smugglers usually attempt to run hashish.

Israel’s border fence with Egypt has helped slow drug smuggling efforts in recent years.

“This action is part of the ongoing effort by the IDF and security forces to thwart drug smuggling on the Egyptian border,” the IDF stated.

Israel has deployed Special Forces to contend with the smugglers from local Bedouin tribes, who often become violent when encountering Israeli interceptors.