A major security breach has been detected by officials at Ben-Gurion International Airport that appears to involve baggage handling personnel in the Tel Aviv airport as well as their counterparts in eastern European countries.

No less than nine cases have already been detected in which foreign airlines transported suitcases containing cigarettes that were smuggled into the country from Eastern Europe. The same methodology was used in all nine cases. “Criminal elements” in Eastern Europe managed to place suitcases stuffed with cigarettes on board planes heading for Tel Aviv.

Employees in Ben-Gurion who are working together with the smugglers brought them into the country, abusing their passage privileges to certain restricted areas to get the suitcases and place them in their vehicles, easily removing them from the airport. Five Israelis have been arrested to date in the ongoing investigation.

Airport officials brought this to the attention of security agencies, quickly realizing that the same method could be used to smuggle in weapons and explosives – citing a major hole in the security network.

Needless to say efforts are underway to change the procedure towards eliminating this flaw in the system that could lead to serious consequences.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)