The Shin Bet and the Southern District Police, in a joint operation, arrested an Israeli Arab resident of Bir Hadaj suspected of smuggling weapons into Israel using drones.
A Shin Bet interrogation found that he led the main arms smuggling network amid the significant increase in the smuggling of weapons, including those that pose a substantial potential security threat.
The investigation found that many terror networks work to smuggle weapons over the border to fill the territory with arms, making it easier for terror organizations to make weapons accessible for terrorists and to carry out attacks. The smuggled weapons even caused the prices in the arms market to drop, making them more accessible to dangerous elements in Israel.
In light of the danger that the suspect poses and the concern that he is involved in additional smuggling operations, Defense Minister Israel Katz signed an unprecedented administrative arrest warrant to prevent him from continuing his dangerous activities.