Israeli Woman Investigated for Weapon Trafficking After Buying SIM Card for Travel

A 53-year-old resident of Hadera, Israel, was unexpectedly investigated on suspicion of weapon trafficking after purchasing a Global SIM card from Pelephone for internet use during a trip to Germany. The woman, who works in an accounting office, bought the SIM card in October for data use only. However, about six weeks after returning to Israel, a police investigator from Tamra visited her home, alleging that the phone number linked to her SIM was used by criminals for extortion and weapon trafficking-related threats.

She was questioned for two hours and handed over the SIM card for forensic examination. Despite her cooperation and insistence that she only used the SIM for internet access, the police case against her remains open. Six months later, she discovered the ongoing investigation was still recorded in her personal profile on the Israeli government portal Gov.il, causing her distress over potential professional repercussions, especially since her job requires access to the tax authority.

The woman claims Pelephone and the Ministry of Communications have denied responsibility and failed to provide assistance. She suspects that the same phone number was fraudulently used by others for criminal calls. Pelephone responded that their investigation found no unusual activity on her number and suggested the incident was likely related to phishing. They confirmed the customer will be cleared regarding the service.

The woman expressed frustration over the lack of accountability and the damage to her reputation, questioning why she must carry a criminal case record at her age when she has no criminal history. She continues to seek resolution and removal of the case from her record.