MK Ben-Eliezer's daughter arrested in US on 'drug charges'

NY Post reports Talya Ben-Eliezer detained at Kennedy Airport for illegal purchase of powerful painkiller in Florida

Boaz Fyler|Published: 02.02.12 , 23:07

Police arrested the daughter of former defense minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer Wednesday on outstanding drug charges as she tried to fly from Kennedy Airport to Tel Aviv, the New York Post reported.

According to the report, 39-year-old Talya Ben-Eliezer was taken into custody at about 8:40 pm (local time) as she tried to pass through security at Terminal 4, and was hauled off to central booking in Queens, Port Authority.

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A "no-bail warrant" for her arrest was issued on July 27 by the sheriff in Tampa, Florida for a "dangerous drug" offense after she allegedly obtained oxycontin without the proper paperwork. She was booked as a "fugitive from justice," the Post reported.

Ynet has learned that Ben-Eliezer used the same prescription to purchase the powerful painkiller in two separate Florida pharmacies.

The Post quoted a source familiar with the details as saying that Ben-Eliezer had been in Florida about a year undergoing medical treatment for a seizure condition.

Another source told the Post that soon after Ben-Eliezer was detained at the airport she told customs officials that she is the daughter of a senior member of the Israeli government.

It didn’t take long before officials with the Israeli consulate in Manhattan began "calling everyone on this," one source told The Post.

According to the report, Ben-Eliezer, who has both US and Israeli citizenship, is expected to be extradited to Florida to face a charge of "obtaining a controlled substance by fraud."

Binyamin Ben-Eliezer currently serves as a Knesset member on behalf of the Labor Party.