Police Foil Illegal Camel Race in Negev Desert

Israeli police successfully thwarted an illegal camel race planned to take place in a firing range near Highway 222 in the Bir Hadaj area of the Negev last week. Acting on intelligence, forces were deployed to the location and identified vehicles, carts, and participants arriving for the event. Officers from the Shagav Shalom station, along with combatants from the Yoav unit and the National Guard South in Magav, raided the site with aerial support from the police. As the forces arrived, vehicles began to disperse, but officers managed to stop the race before it started. During the operation, two minors and one adult, residents of Rahat, were detained for suspected involvement in organizing and participating in the race. A camel present at the scene was also seized. Commander of the Shagav Shalom station, Eli Cohen, stated that police will continue to act against illegal camel races, especially those held in firing ranges that endanger lives. He emphasized that the combined ground and air operation allows for the identification of those involved and the prevention of dangerous events before they occur.