Five Israeli citizens are set to be indicted Monday on weapons trafficking and security-related offenses after authorities uncovered a network accused of smuggling military-grade weapons to criminal groups and terror operatives in the West Bank, police said.
The suspects — from Yarka, Jat, Baqa al-Gharbiyye and Shaqib al-Salam — were charged in Haifa District Court. Two additional Palestinian suspects are expected to face prosecution in a military court.
Police arrest seven individuals wanted for arms trading
(Video: Israel Police)
The investigation began roughly a year ago after Israel’s Northern District police unit launched a probe into widespread leakage of military weaponry. Authorities said a series of seizures over several months raised red flags, including: On June 7, 2024, two residents of Tamra were found in possession of 10 explosive devices; On Nov. 22, two suspects from Ma’ale Iron were arrested with about 20,000 rounds of ammunition; On Nov. 25, a woman from Kafr Qasim was apprehended with approximately 5,000 rounds.
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Following these incidents and intelligence suggesting the weapons were being transferred to terrorist groups in the West Bank, police and Israel’s Shin Bet security agency launched a joint investigation. The case became public on June 15, when security forces carried out raids across Israel and the Palestinian territories.
During a raid on a central weapons depot in Yarka, officers recovered six Glock pistols, three M-16 rifles, an AK-47, thousands of bullets, dozens of detonators, more than 100 explosive components and a large quantity of spare parts.
Investigators said the cell was selling weapons to terrorist elements through a resident of Jat in central Israel. Some of the weapons were smuggled across Israel’s southern border and exchanged for ammunition, while others were sold to the highest bidder in the criminal underworld.
The Jat resident is also suspected of involvement in multiple shooting attacks targeting Israeli soldiers and security forces in the West Bank, officials said.