Israeli Police Attaché Aids Fugitive's Arrest in Bolivia

Israeli Police Lieutenant Colonel Walter Koenig, serving as the police attaché for South and Latin America, assisted in the apprehension of an Israeli fugitive in Bolivia on Thursday. Koenig, who gained public attention in August for locating mother and daughter Mali and Lial Yahalomi in Argentina, was involved in the arrest of an Israeli national suspected of drug smuggling. The suspect is accused of importing 5.3 kilograms of cocaine into Israel in 2017 via a drug mule from Bolivia. Koenig collaborated with Bolivian law enforcement in Santa Cruz to arrest the individual, who had been a fugitive living in South America for nine years. Information about the suspect's whereabouts was recently provided by Koenig to local police, who then joined forces for the arrest. "After extensive intelligence activity, the suspect's hiding place was located and he was arrested," police stated, adding that efforts are underway to extradite him to Israel. Koenig, previously a senior officer in Israel, expressed in a video, "We reach here too, to Bolivia," highlighting the Israeli police's global pursuit of criminals. He also recounted his role in locating the Yahalomi mother and daughter, emphasizing the intelligence division's international cooperation to combat crime and ensure swift resolution in such cases. Koenig described his operational approach in Argentina, working with Argentinian police and Interpol to locate the missing individuals, verify their safety, and ensure no criminal offense had occurred. The Yahalomi mother and daughter returned to Israel on October 8th and have since requested privacy to recover from their ordeal.