During a joint operation with IDF troops in the West Bank town of Beit Jala, inspectors of the Agriculture Ministry found a pirate Logistics Distribution Center for eggs, the ministry announced earlier this week.
The center included a stamping machine with false stamps of Israeli egg distributors and some 90,000 eggs which had been stored in the locality without proper cooling conditions. According to the ministry, a third of these eggs had already been stamped.
Time before holiday sees surge in smuggling activities
The ministry further noted that the eggs were supposed to be distributed across Israel in the days prior to the Passover holiday.
The ministry explained that at such times there is a surge in demand for eggs and a consequent increase of smuggling activities of eggs and other animal-based products.
In light of this situation, the ministry said it cracked down on these ventures, preventing the selling of some 270,000 smuggled eggs.
The Beit Jala eggs, which were in all probability not raised with veterinary supervision and were transported without the required cooling conditions were destroyed and the stamping machine was confiscated by the IDF, the ministry added.
Moshe Ahrak, head of the Inspection unit at the ministry said, "There is no doubt that during the holidays, consumers consume more than usual: more meat, eggs and fish. We continue to strengthen our forces, to prevent such attempts from succeeding, and to ensure our health. We repeat and emphasize that the consumption of eggs and animal products without supervision is a real danger to public health Therefore, we must be careful and purchase eggs and animal products in their packaging and in regulated places only."