Police arrest Hezbollah-backed drug ring in northern Israel
Four Arab Israelis arrested on suspicion of selling drugs for drug dealers tied to Hezbollah. Shin Bet interrogation reveals the four acted on orders from Hezbollah to advance terrorist activities in Israel.
The Shin Bet, in a joint operation with the police, arrested in July four Hezbollah-backed drug dealers suspected of involvement in terror activities, it was cleared for publication Thursday.
According to the statement issued by the Shin Bet, extensive activity has been carried out in the past two weeks aimed at exposing the links between drug traffickers in Israel and Hezbollah-affiliated drug dealers from Lebanon, in an attempt to nip the crime activity in its bud.
During the Shin Bet interrogation of the four who were arrested, Israeli Arab residents of the north, it was revealed that Hezbollah had been using the connection to plot terrorist attacks in Israel.
The interrogation of the suspects – A-Khalim Abbas and his brother, Iz a-Din Abbas, both residents of Nahaf, and Ahmed Mazariv and Riyadh Marariv from Biet Zazir – further revealed their link to George Nimer, a resident of the Lebanese town of Marjayoun and a Hezbollah militant. The four had reportedly transferred drugs to Nimer in Lebanon and established a safe communication channel used for the purpose of transporting arms.
The interrogation also revealed that Nimer had intended to transfer weapons and drugs into Israel, and had even ordered patrol groups to inspect certain areas near the border with Lebanon. Several of the detainees had been in contact with Nimar in the past, prior to their involvement in the current criminal case.
The interrogators also found one of the detainees to be in possession of illegal weapons. In addition, 12 more Israeli drug dealers were also arrested and taken for questioning as part of the interrogation.
"The interrogations carried out by the Shin Bet and the Israeli Police expose a broad infrastructure of Israeli drug dealers who worked with Lebanese drug dealers known for their links with Hezbollah," a statement issued by the Shin Bet said, adding that the cross-examination further revealed "moves that were made towards the transport of weapons from Israel to Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, using the same drug dealers."
In August 2012, it was cleared for publication that thirteen northern Israel residents were arrested a month earlier on suspicion that they planned terrorist attacks. Police and Shin Bet forces seized 21 kg of C4 explosives, advanced explosive mechanisms, weapons and narcotics. The suspects were on orders from Hezbollah and were meant to target Israelis. Serious indictments had been filed against 10 of the suspects.
An investigation was launched in early July after Israeli intelligence officers received information regarding the smuggling of a large quantity of explosives.
The information was relayed to the Shin Bet and a joint investigation revealed that 24 demolition blocks had been smuggled from Lebanon to Israel via the village of Ghajar on June 5. Advanced operating systems had been utilized in the operation.
