Border Police fighters operating in the Jerusalem envelope area, together with the Crossing Unit, arrested yesterday (Saturday night) at the Ofer checkpoint a driver with the rank of major who was transporting two illegal residents in his vehicle.
A reconnaissance observation team from the Combat Intelligence Collection identified a vehicle that had stopped near the separation barrier on Route 443, picked up two men, and continued driving toward Jerusalem. Shortly afterward, the vehicle was located at the Ofer checkpoint, and the forces instructed the driver to stop for inspection.
The Border Police fighters noticed that the driver was wearing an IDF uniform but was wearing sandals. According to him, he serves in the reserves and had given the two a ride.
However, a check with IDF authorities revealed that the suspect is not an active servicemember and that his service had ended about three weeks earlier.
It also emerged that the two passengers are residents of the territories without legal permits to stay in Israel. Police suspect that the driver wore the uniform in order to pass through the checkpoint without inspection or to arouse less suspicion.
All three suspects-the driver and the two passengers-were arrested and transferred for questioning to the Border Police Jerusalem Envelope Investigations and Intelligence Division.
The police stated: “Over the past week, Border Police fighters arrested 344 illegal residents and 42 suspects who assisted in transporting, harboring, or employing them in various sectors. Border Police fighters will continue to act decisively to locate illegal residents and prevent their entry into Israel.”