Organized Crime Allegedly Took Over Ashdod Food Delivery Sector

The Southern District Attorney's Office has filed indictments alleging that a violent criminal organization, led by Eyal Nagar, infiltrated and controlled the food delivery industry in Ashdod, extorting business owners and couriers. The prosecution claims Nagar used fear as a tool to generate money, services, and power, turning the right to earn a living into a privilege granted by him and making refusal of his demands a personal risk. This alleged control allowed the criminal group to profit from the labor of others and the terror they instilled.

The investigation, which began in May 2025 and concluded in August 2026, utilized undercover agents within the Ashdod food delivery sector. Nagar is accused of thousands of counts of extortion, conspiracy to commit a crime, protection rackets, false corporate record-keeping, tax fraud, evidence destruction, and money laundering totaling 10 million shekels.

According to the indictment, Maor Azriel, founder of the food delivery company Mar Dispatch in 2018, became a secret 20% partner of Nagar's in 2023 without official registration or tax reporting. Azriel expanded the company's operations to Ramla, Lod, and Be'er Yaakov in 2025. Nagar and Azriel allegedly manipulated a WhatsApp group called "Hashafitzim," initially formed by hundreds of Ashdod food business owners and couriers, to consolidate their control.

The state contends that Nagar leveraged his reputation to intimidate Azriel and other business owners, forcing them to contract with Mar Dispatch and deterring independent couriers from starting their own businesses or competing. Separate indictments suggest Nagar extorted 180,000 shekels from Azriel. Additionally, business owners Roi Safana and Yiniv Azran allegedly extorted 400,000 shekels from Azriel with Nagar's assistance. Nagar also allegedly demanded funding for a diamond course and iPhones for his wife, Ofir Nagar, and pressured Azriel to rent an apartment for the criminal Assaf Barda upon his release from prison. Furthermore, Nagar and Azriel allegedly used threats to shut down courier businesses operated by Daniel Zrihan, Dor Esbag, and Daniel Karadi.

Azriel has reportedly confessed to his involvement and detailed Nagar's actions, suggesting a potential plea deal where he might testify against Nagar. Azriel faces charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, extortion, threats, protection rackets, evidence destruction, fraud, tax offenses, and money laundering totaling 13 million shekels.