MK Moshe Arbel from Shas brought up in the Knesset plenum the issues surrounding the smuggling of Khat, a stimulant drug, which, while not being illegal in Israel, it is illegal in many European countries.
According to Arbel (Shas), a group of smugglers is preying upon innocent Charedim who are in their teenage years or in their early twenties. The majority of these young men and women who get convinced that the item which they are bringing is not illegal, come from families with low socio-economic status and are therefore more likely to be in need of fast cash, something which is offered by the organizer.
Arbel told the Knesset that based upon the findings of the Foreign Ministry, some 70 youth are in prison in foreign countries due to having tried to bring the bag into a foreign country where Kaht would be illegal. In Turkey, for example, one Ethiopian Israeli was arrested and sentenced with 10 years of prison for smuggling drugs.
[Many Yeshiva Bochrim Recently Arrested In Europe For Smuggling “Khat” Substance From Israel]
[Chareidi Girls Arrested in England for Smuggling “Khat” Substance From Israel]
[AGAIN: Chareidi Girls Arrested in Oslo For Smuggling “Khat”; Scheduled for Deportation ON SHABBOS]
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6 Responses
No serious education, leading to low paying jobs if at all, leading to low socioeconomic status, leading to illegal activity for a quick buck, leading to jail in a foreign country. Blame the policy-makers, they are leading the flock astray without taking any responsibility for the consequences.
Calm down. Haven’t the modern orthodox been complaining about frum Jews spending all their time in the Beis Medrash and not enough out in the world making money?
The article perpetuates the meshugaas about a group of smugglers “preying upon innocent chareidim” who are totally innocent and being victimized. Sadly, this can no longer be taken credibly because just about every print and online media in EY has run multiple stories about prior cases where young Israelis, frum and secular have been arrested and imprisoned for drug violations and that chat is ILLEGAL in most countries outside EY and a few middle eastern and African countries. You would have to live on the moon not to know what you are doing is illegal. Virtually all the yeshivos have also communicated the message about not accepting ANY packages from strangers on an overseas flight. Sadly, hearing from a number of Chareidi families having to suffer the pain of children incarcerated overseas may be the best deterrent to having this meshugaas continue. Once an for all, no drugs, nowhere, no-time never. Get the message or look forward to some quality time in a European jail cell.
If the Israeli bnei yeshivos were in the bais medrish, this would not occur.
Is the issue concerning that they need glatt kosher?
Or that they are innocent?
Because I don’t know of any country where ignorance of the law is a valid defense.
There really is an easy solution to this problem. When the nice security agent asks you at the airport if “anyone has given you anything to take in your luggage” JUST TELL THE TRUTH!
It should become an offence to entice another individual to do anything illegal whether in Israel or abroad.