Massive Cigarette Smuggling Ring Busted at Ashdod Port
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Israeli customs officials at Ashdod Port seized over NIS 200 million worth of smuggled cigarettes hidden in shipping containers declared to hold only wheat flour. Investigators believe a substantial amount of the contraband was intended for the Gaza Strip. The bust, one of the largest ever, occurred alongside other cigarette seizures at Egyptian and Israeli crossings, and follows a Hamas tax protest by Gaza merchants.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Over NIS 200 million in smuggled cigarettes were seized at Ashdod Port.
- Eight containers carrying hundreds of thousands of cigarette packs were intercepted.
- Investigators suspect the smuggled cigarettes were destined for the Gaza Strip.
- The bust is considered one of the largest tobacco smuggling operations ever.
- Seizures also occurred at crossings from Egypt and within Israel.
- The incident follows a protest by Gaza merchants against Hamas taxation.
Customs investigators at Ashdod Port seized at least eight shipping containers carrying hundreds of thousands of cigarette packs, valued at over NIS 200 million, on Tuesday. The cigarettes were concealed within containers declared to contain only wheat flour. Israeli customs officials described the bust as one of the largest tobacco smuggling operations ever recorded. Investigators suspect a significant portion of the contraband was destined for the Gaza Strip.
In addition to the Ashdod seizure, smuggled cigarettes were also intercepted at crossings from Egypt and within Israel. This incident follows a protest by Gaza merchants two weeks prior, who went on strike to object to taxation policies imposed by Hamas.
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