Members of the Jewish community are being urged to exercise extreme caution following reports of individuals being approached to transport potentially dangerous or illegal packages.
In an urgent advisory issued by Rabbi Meshulem Emanuel, the kehilla was warned about a troubling trend targeting bochurim and other community members, particularly through messaging platforms like WhatsApp. Individuals have been asked to deliver packages, some of which have later been discovered to contain illegal or hazardous materials.
“This is not just a matter of caution; this is a matter of survival,” Rabbi Emanuel wrote. “A single mistake could lead to devastating legal consequences, imprisonment, or worse.”
The warning noted that requests often come from individuals who appear trustworthy or are known within the community, creating a false sense of security. However, Rabbi Emanuel made it clear that familiarity should not replace proper verification.
“Criminals rely on this trust to exploit well-meaning people. Even requests from family or friends should not be accepted without thoroughly verifying the contents of the package,” he said.
The advisory calls on community members to refuse any transport request that appears unclear, vague, or suspicious.
“Your safety and reputation are at stake. A simple favor could turn into a life-altering event,” the warning concluded.
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7 Responses
There was [and possibly still is] an issue with a drug legal in Israel but illegal elsewhere. Ignorant individuals are being told, the worst that can happen they take it away, but several individuals have ended up in prison in various European countries.
Apparently, people in Israel knew who the unscrupulous criminals are, but the Israeli government has yet to formulate an offence for such behavior.
A few years ago, a few Bachurim landed in jail in Japan. Someone gave them a suitcase and drugs were hidden inside the walls of the suitcase.
They were in jail in Japan for about eleven months.
This is NOT a new problem.
20 years ago, I tried to warn my fellow Jews to not carry packages for people who they do not know; and 20 years ago, my fellow Jews refused to listen to this advice.
Maybe my fellow Jews will finally listen to my advice, and not carry packages for people who they do not know, now that Rabbi Meshulem Emanuel and Yeshiva World News agree with me.
What’s worse than imprisonment?
The kehila should publicize the names of these individuals, to prevent them from continuing to operate in this way
David, that is not an issue with people traveling from Canada, where qat is illegal, to Israel, where it’s legal. The smuggling is all in the opposite direction.
Though even smuggling qat from Israel to Canada is not a high risk, because the Canadian authorities are quite lenient if it was an innocent mistake. Qat is not a very harmful drug, and possession for personal use is legal, so while importation is illegal an innocent courier has a high chance of having the charges dismissed with a warning.
Europe and the USA are a different story. Do not bring qat from Israel to those countries, or you will be in serious trouble.
But there is no reason Israel should have a law against smuggling it to other countries. When alcohol was illegal in the USA, did Canada have a law against rum-running?! Was Bronfman ever arrested for it?! No, of course not. The rest of the world laughed at the USA and had no objection to people violating US law by importing a completely normal product that the crazy Americans had decided to ban. Israel sees qat prohibition the same way.
Whenever I am asked to carry a package for someone I agree, but I make it clear that when I’m asked whether I’m carrying anything for someone else I will say yes, and show them the package. If you’re not OK with that, then don’t send it with me.