Israeli Police expose drug dealing network involving soldiers and teens

22 suspects from the Shfela region were arrested following an undercover police investigation. The police say they are all suspected of selling hard drugs to teens via the internet and in IDF bases.

Nov 12, 2015, 10:00AM | Yael Klein

Photo archives Photo Credit: Channel 2 News

At the end of a three-month-long undercover investigation, the police arrested 22 suspected members of a drug network. According to the information obtained by the investigating team, the network conducted hundreds of drug deals that amount to hundreds of thousands of shekels.

The police said the network's activity was a "well-oiled machine that produced a lot of money and also involved grey market loans." The investigators also stressed that a large part of the drug dealing involved IDF soldiers on bases as well as minors. "The Israel Police take the drug dealing phenomenon very seriously and allocate a lot of resources to exposing these offences that affect the entire population and constitute a platform to additional offences," a police statement read.

Drugs found at the suspects' homes Photo Credit: Israel Police Spokesperson/Channel 2 News

When searching the suspects' homes, the police found large quantities of different types of drugs: cocaine, hashish, MDMA, ecstasy and marijuana. In addition, they confiscated stolen vehicles and property allegedly purchased with the money made from selling drugs. The suspects have each been charged with 20 counts.