Alon Gal of Modi'in, a licensing clerk authorized to work with customs and acting as an independent contractor, is suspected of submitting false import documents to customs.
At the Ashdod customs unit an investigation is being conducted against Gal and others involved on suspicion of forgery and submission of false documents to the customs department of the Health Ministry's pharmaceutical department for profit, endangering public safety and health.
Gal, by virtue of his occupation, prepares import entries for his clients, which include regulatory approvals required for the release of goods.The Tax Authority says that on August 13, 2017, the suspect filed two import applications for his clients, one for cosmetics imports and the other for imports of waxing machines and cosmetics.
In the first case, the suspect digitally declared to the Customs Authority that he had an import permit from the Pharmaceutical Department in the Health Ministry, and later he attached the approval.However, an investigation revealed that this was a forged document.
In the second case, the suspect stated that he had the approval of the Pharmaceutical Department and also attached it.However, a Health Ministry audit revealed this to be a forged document, since the license number attached to it belonged to different importers. In addition to Customs Ordinance violations, the suspect's actions constituted a risk to human life.
The unit is investigating additional evidence of other import cases relying on forged certificates from the Pharmaceutical Department.The suspect was questioned on Monday and stated that in both cases he requested authorization from the Pharmaceutical Department but was refused, so he contacted the importer's representative, who gave him import permits from the Health Ministry which the suspect then added to the import records.
A search of the suspect's home, car, and the office turned up a cell phone, laptop, and dozens of documents linking him to the case, as well as testimonies that were collected.
The Ashkelon Magistrate's Court extended Gal's remand until Thursday afternoon.