Three suspects, an Israeli, a Spaniard and a Moroccan, were charged on Wednesday for their involvement in a major drug smuggling operation, the State Attorney's Office announced.
Rashid Makboul, 43, and Jordi Sala Serra, 43, from Spain and Morocco, along with Shahar Zayton, 47, a Jerusalem resident, were arrested after attempting to import 700 kg. of cocaine from Colombia to Israel.
Police managed to thwart their attempt by posing as distributors as part of a joint investigation by the Central Unit of the Jerusalem Police, the Intelligence Unit and the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office.
The police investigation began two years ago after the police got an appeal in Colombia about Makboul and Serra wanting to import and trade 2,000 kilos of cocaine into Israel. During the initial meeting between the "seller" and the two Spaniards, in the Colombian city of Cartagena, the pair tested the drugs and their quality and agreed to pay for two installments of $26,000 per kilogram.
The drug bust
This past April, Makboul and Zayton were both informed that the drugs were on their way to Israel. The undercover cop instructed the men to communicate with his supposed "partners" in Israel, who were, in fact, undercover law enforcement agents.
The defendants subsequently flew to Israel and met with the undercover cops in Tel Aviv. Rashid and Jordi met with "W" to inspect the quality of the cocaine and negotiate the terms of the transaction. However, unbeknownst to them, "W" turned out to be an undercover cop and the drugs were never actually transported to Israel.
During their meeting, the agents presented a deceptive video, purporting to show a significant quantity of drugs that had allegedly arrived from Colombia to Israel. Suspicion arose when the defendants tested a small portion of the substance themselves. Sensing the trap, they quickly left the scene and hurriedly fled to Jerusalem.
However, their escape was short-lived, as law enforcement apprehended the suspects upon their arrival in Jerusalem. Subsequent investigations revealed their involvement in the attempted drug smuggling operation, resulting in charges against each defendant based on their respective roles.
The charges included attempted importation of a dangerous substance and possession of a dangerous substance with intent for distribution.
The Prosecution has requested the court to order the immediate arrest of the defendants, pending the completion of legal proceedings against them. If found guilty, the accused could face severe penalties, given the magnitude of the crime and the quantities of narcotics involved.
Law enforcement agencies continue to prioritize efforts to dismantle international drug trafficking networks operating within Israel's borders.
Recent Israel Police drug busts
Israel Police thwarted a cocaine smuggling ring based in South America and operating in central Israel, arresting several suspects in Tira, police said Saturday.
For the past few months, the Central Unit of the police's Central District conducted a covert, international investigation focused on the smuggling of cocaine into Israel from South America. The cocaine was smuggled into Israel in 140 liters of bottles worth tens of millions of shekels.
Police found that the drugs were being hidden in one of the cities in the Triangle (an area of northern Israel including a number of Arab cities and villages) and on Saturday arrested several suspects from a village in the Galilee, Qalansawe and Tira.
Evidence and containers collected by police were transferred to forensic laboratories for continued evidence extraction. The suspects in the case will be brought for a hearing to have their arrests extended on Sunday.