Israeli Police Arrest Crime Boss Eyal Nagar in Major Southern Crime Network Bust

Israeli police launched a large-scale operation on Tuesday morning targeting criminal infrastructures in Ashdod and Kiryat Gat, resulting in the arrest of 27 suspects, including Eyal Nagar, identified as a leading crime boss. The investigation, known as the "Relay Race" case, involved undercover agents embedded for nearly a year within the criminal networks. Authorities allege these groups took control of delivery routes and restaurants, extorted business owners through threats and intimidation, and generated millions of shekels in illicit income.

The undercover agents infiltrated hierarchical criminal structures, gathering evidence that exposed the mechanisms of extortion and control over delivery and distribution sectors in the region. Police suspect the operation extended beyond protection rackets to establishing dominance over local logistics, enabling significant revenue streams for the crime organizations. The investigation also covers economic crimes such as money laundering to conceal the origins of these funds.

Among those arrested, two suspects are classified as heads of crime organizations, with Eyal Nagar’s detention extended until August 17. Police have not disclosed whether the undercover agents were law enforcement or informants from the criminal world, citing ongoing investigative constraints. The operation involved units from the Lahish Central Unit, Southern District police, the National Guard, and the Border Police.

Police emphasized that the arrests and evidence collection aim to dismantle the criminal infrastructure facilitating extortion and illegal control in southern Israel. The case was publicly revealed during a ceremony attended by senior police officials, including Police Commissioner Dany Levi and Southern District Commander Haim Bublil. Authorities expect the investigation to lead to indictments, though suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.