Border security thwart attempted gold smuggling to PA in tomato crates - watch
Both the crates and the gold were confiscated, and the incident is being investigated by security forces and the Israel Tax Authority.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFIsraeli border security find gold at the bottom of tomato crates at the Kerem Shalom border crossing from Israel to Gaza, March 22, 2021. (Credit: Border Authority and Defense Ministry)
Smugglers attempting to sneak gold from Gaza to the Palestinian Authority by hiding it in tomato crates were thwarted by security forces on Tuesday, Israeli media reported. The 13 bars of gold weighed about seven kilograms and is worth about NIS 1.3 million ($390,000).Both the crates and the gold were confiscated, and the incident is being investigated by security forces and the Israel Tax Authority.A senior source in border protection told The Jerusalem Post last week that the greatest smuggling danger comes from the most underrated border: Egypt.Attempted smuggling incidents occur on a regular basis, and often lead to live-fire incidents – towards the Egyptian police, but also towards Israeli security forces.In 2020, the IDF thwarted 57 smuggling attempts at the border.Earlier this month, the IDF thwarted the attempted smuggling of about 80 kilograms of drugs worth about NIS 1.5 million from Egypt.Udi Shaham contributed to this report.