Joint Security Forces Intercept 7 Pistols Smuggling Attempt at Eastern Border
Joint security forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle seven pistols across the eastern border last Thursday, the Israel Police announced Sunday. During the operation, a suspect armed with a knife who attempted to flee was shot but managed to escape. The pistols, intended for smuggling into Israel, were recovered at the scene.
The operation involved soldiers from the Jordan Valley Brigade, the Border Police's MATILAN unit in Judea and Samaria, and detectives from the Jordan Valley Border Police unit. The forces set up an ambush near the eastern border based on intelligence gathered by the central district's intelligence unit regarding active smuggling routes in the area.
During the ambush, the forces spotted a suspect armed with a knife in the Jordan River area. They initiated a suspect apprehension procedure, including firing at him, but the suspect was hit and fled. Security forces pursued him, but he evaded capture.
During the pursuit, the forces found a bag containing the seven pistols destined for smuggling into Israel. The weapons were transferred to the central district's intelligence unit for further investigation. This operation is part of ongoing efforts to prevent weapon and goods smuggling along the eastern border, with increased intelligence and operational activity in recent weeks due to frequent attempts to smuggle weapons and dangerous explosives.
Security forces emphasized their continued commitment to thwarting weapon smuggling and protecting Israeli citizens. The joint efforts of the IDF, Israel Police, and Border Police rely on continuous intelligence sharing and intensive field operations to identify smuggling routes and prevent weapons from entering Israel. Concurrently, security forces are active throughout Judea and Samaria to counter terrorism and smuggling, with recent incidents including the arrest of a suspect in a stone-throwing incident that injured a settler and the foiling of an attempt to breach the separation fence.
