Military police, working in conjunction with Israel police, arrested three suspects who allegedly stole and sold IDF weapons on the black market, authorities revealed on Tuesday.
According to Israel police, the three marketed the stolen IDF arms primarily to criminal organizations, as opposed to terror groups.
The suspects include a 24-year old IDF officer from the Bedouin community of Zarzir, near Nazareth, an army driver from the town of Tamra near Akko, and the driver’s father, 46.
The three were arrested in July, though army censors barred publication of the incident until a request by police to disclose the matter on Tuesday.
The arrests came after the officer allegedly broke into an army weapons depot, stealing dozens of hand grenades, M72 LAW anti-tank rocket launchers, and MATADOR rockets.
According to investigators, the officer sold the stolen weapons, via the army driver, to the latter’s father, who then marketed the weapons to criminal syndicates. The officer reportedly received tens of thousands of shekels for some of the sales.