Police seize illegal weapons at suspected Palestinian cop's home

The raid was conducted as part of targeted activities against the possession of illegal weapons carried out by detectives, IDF soldiers, border Police officers and Israel Police dog handlers.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Updated: JUNE 20, 2018 03:49
An illegal Carl Custav weapon siezed by police on June 19, 2018 (photo credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
An illegal Carl Custav weapon siezed by police on June 19, 2018
(photo credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Police arrested a suspect whom they believe to be a Palestinian police officer, after they seized Carl Gustav weapons and ammunition during a raid of his house on Monday night.
The raid was conducted as part of targeted activities against the possession of illegal weapons, and was carried out by detectives, Border Police officers and Israel Police dog handlers, together with the IDF.
During a search of the suspects’ home in the Aram neighborhood of east Jerusalem, police dogs located where improvised Carl Gustav weapons and ammunition bullets were hidden.
The police arrested a suspect in his thirties on suspicion of possessing illegal weapons.
The suspect was due to be brought before a military court on Tuesday to extend his detention.
“The Israel Police continues its deliberate and focused activity to locate and seize weapons in the framework of its persistent struggle against serious crime and to prevent the weapons reaching suspects who could harm civilians and members of the security forces,” the police said, adding that it is also working to decrease the phenomenon of the use of weapons for solving internal conflicts between residents.
Named after the original Swedish 1945 submachine gun, the Carl Gustav or the “Carlo” has proliferated across the West Bank in recent years. They are easily homemade and locally produced in the West Bank.
Security forces believe that most of the shooting attacks that have occurred in the West Bank and inside Israel were carried out with weapons locally produced in the West Bank, most commonly the Carl Gustav.
The police, IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) regularly conduct joint operations to raid warehouses and factories in order to locate and seize weapons before they can get into the hands of terrorists.
According to the IDF, 42 illegal weapons workshops were closed and 455 illegal weapons were seized in 2017, a slight increase from the 40 gun-making workshops closed in the West Bank in 2016.

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The number of weapons seized remained the same at 445, still a significant increase from the 170 illegal weapons seized in 2015.
This has resulted in a hike of the cost of the Carl Gustav, from NIS 1,500 in January 2015 to NIS 4,500 in December 2016 to approximately NIS 7,000 in May 2017.
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.


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