Israel targets alleged crime boss behind billion-shekel extortion empire

According to the police, the group exerted control over tenders issued by the state, local authorities, and even private enterprises, with operations stretching across the country.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli authorities plan to file indictments against Latif Abu Latif, the alleged head of one of Israel’s most powerful criminal organizations, and 11 of his associates, the Attorney General’s office announced on Sunday morning.

The suspects — described as senior operatives, managers, and activists in the Abu Latif crime organization — are accused of blackmail, tax offenses, and large-scale money laundering.

Prosecutors say the group systematically extorted contractors and developers who had won or bid on infrastructure tenders, often threatening them to secure dominance over public and private projects.

“This is a violent and deeply rooted criminal organization that built a monopoly through fear,” a police spokesperson said. “They used their reputation for brutality to dominate the field of infrastructure tenders across the country.”

Police officials emphasized the scale and ambition of the criminal enterprise. “What began as local extortion and ‘protection fees’ evolved into a vast network controlling billions in public contracts,” said a senior investigator.

“This investigation is about dismantling a violent monopoly that operated through threats, extortion, and even shootings.”

Investigators estimate that the Abu Latif crime family is responsible for the murder of more than 30 people during the last two years.

The individuals expected to be charged include Latif Abu Latif, Vicky Attiya, Imran Shakir, Mehdi Ismail, Khaled Sharqia, Salah Gadaban, Abd Khatib, Ahmed Suleiman, Adham Hassan, Salim Shakur, Nissim Amira, and Ashraf Halabi.

According to the police, the group exerted control over tenders issued by the state, local authorities and even private enterprises.

“Their activities were not limited to one region — they were targeting tenders in towns and cities across the country,” the spokesperson added.

The suspects were arrested over a month ago in a sweeping operation involving 1,000 officers. A total of 36 people were detained during the raid, including Abu Latif himself.

In the aftermath, police showcased a fleet of luxury vehicles seized from the organization, including Maserati, Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, and Range Rover models—symbols of the group’s alleged illicit wealth.

The Attorney General’s Office will ask the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court to keep all 12 suspects in custody until the end of legal proceedings.

According to the Abraham Initiative, a non-profit organization that promotes Arab integration into Israeli society, 58 Israeli-Arabs have been killed in violent crimes in 2025.

The spike is a continuation of 230 murders in 2024. In 2023, a record number of 244 Israeli-Arabs were murdered, more than double the 120 homicides in 2022.

The surge in violence is attributed to organized crime groups fighting turf battles and trying to eliminate rivals.

Arab criminal organizations have been involved in extortion, money laundering, and trafficking in weapons, drugs, and women.