Customs workers accompanied by police followed the drivers who took the containers to eastern Jerusalem and arrested them.

The Ashkelon Magistrate Court ordered the arrest of a resident of the PA (Palestinian Authority) Hebron area on suspicion of taking part in an attempt to smuggle several tons of tobacco into containers intended for PA territory. The investigation into this case was carried out by the Customs and VAT Unit in Ashdod Customs, together with Customs and VAT investigations in Beersheva.

In the course of the investigation, intelligence information was gathered which indicated a number of involved in the import of containers for which it was declared that they contained wood for carpentry and a building, when in practice a number of tons of processed tobacco were removed for the manufacture of cigarettes. The smuggling attempt was carried out through false declarations, in an attempt to evade the payment of import taxes in the amount of over NIS 4 million.

The suspect who was arrested is a PA resident living in the Hebron area, and his official occupation is to trade in cars. The investigation material that has accumulated so far indicates that the suspect contacted other parties in order to smuggle the said goods, all in order to make a profit while investing considerable resources while submitting false documents and evading security checks required in such an event.

A few days ago, the suspect filed a request for customs clearance with a fictitious Israeli resident company for the release of three containers containing, according to the declaration, wooden beams. As stated, the investigation revealed that this is an attempt to smuggle tobacco when the manner of its arrangement in the container is done in a configuration and location that characterize elements of sophistication and investment of resources at the time of the clearing operation in order to mislead the customs assessors regarding the contents of the containers.

After a three-hour delay, the three trucks carrying the containers were stopped at the exit from Jerusalem and before entering one of the neighborhoods of the seam line in eastern Jerusalem, at which point they were detained for questioning The three drivers and the main suspect who was present.

In the course of the investigation it became clear that the suspect together with other persons involved had opened a company in the name of an Israeli importer who served only as a front person for the purpose of camouflaging the imports and in order to avoid as much as possible delay and/or seizure at customs.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)