Gaza Aid Truck Seized After Attempted Nicotine Smuggling

Security forces at the Kerem Shalom crossing thwarted an attempt to smuggle approximately 100 bottles of liquid nicotine, each 1.5 liters, into the Gaza Strip. The nicotine was concealed within beverage bottles and discovered during a security inspection by personnel from the Land Crossings Authority of the Ministry of Defense.

The truck and its entire contents were confiscated and handed over to customs authorities. The shipment was purchased by an Israeli company and approved for entry into Gaza as part of a humanitarian aid mechanism involving the private sector.

Following the discovery, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Major General Yoram Lavi, ordered an immediate freeze on the company's authorization to import aid into Gaza until further notice. COGAT stated that it, along with the Land Crossings Authority, customs, and other relevant security bodies, will continue to act decisively against attempts to smuggle goods and exploit humanitarian aid mechanisms for the Gaza Strip, emphasizing a policy of zero tolerance.

The confiscated truck and its contents were transferred for further processing by customs and other authorized entities.