In a joint operation over the past month, the Lahav 433 Unit of Severe and International Crime Investigations, Shin Bet, and IDF uncovered a ring that was smuggling arms from Syria to Israel.
During the operation, several Israeli residents of northern Israel, including five active duty and reserve IDF soldiers, as well as several Syrian citizens, were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the smuggling of several types of weapons from Syria over the border in the Hader area in the Golan Heights, currently under IDF control.
The investigation found that the IDF soldiers who were involved took advantage of their ability to cross the border and smuggled various weapons that were later transferred to criminal elements in the north.
One of the central suspects is Iyad Halabi, aged 45, from the Druze village of Yarka, a non-commissioned officer in the northern arena.
It was also found that a few days before they were arrested, the ring attempted to smuggle an unusual volume of weapons, including explosives, RPG missiles, assault rifles, and a large quantity of ammunition.
In a nighttime operation in southern Syria last month, IDF forces located dozens of weapons. They arrested three Syrian suspects, who were taken for questioning by the Shin Bet and police.
The investigation found that the weapons that were seized were meant to reach Rami Abu Shah, a 49-year-old resident of the Arab city of Shefar'am in northern Israel, who was in contact with a 25-year-old Syrian by the name of Rawad Al-Basr, who was allegedly involved in trading a large quantity of weapons.
On Thursday, after their interrogation, the Prosecutor's Office is expected to submit severe indictments against all those involved.