Alleged gun smuggler detained on flight moments before fleeing country

The military and police on Tuesday morning foiled an attempt to smuggle 20 handguns into Israel from Lebanon, arresting four suspects in the process — including one moments before he fled to Turkey on a flight, authorities said.

According to a joint statement by police and the Israel Defense Forces, soldiers operating surveillance cameras identified several suspects close to the border and officers were dispatched to the scene.

According to police, two of the men were arrested at the scene and the third, in a getaway vehicle, was caught following a brief chase.

A fourth man, who police said was the ringleader, was arrested while on a plane at Ben Gurion Airport, moments before it took off for Turkey.

The suspect was taken off the flight by officers and brought in for questioning over the smuggling.

All four of the suspects hail from the northern Arab town of Tuba-Zangariyye.

In the statement, the chief of police’s Northern District chief Shuki Tahauko thanked the military for its assistance in foiling the smuggling attempt.

“There is no doubt that these high-quality, new weapons, if they were to reach the streets, would be fired,” Tahauko said. “We certainly saved innocent lives.”

Police officials believe arms smuggled from Lebanon head to criminal organizations in the Arab community, where they would also be available for terror attacks in the event of another surge in violence between Jews and Arabs.

Earlier this year, a security official warned that Iran is seeking revenge against Israel for various actions against it by transferring weapons to “sleeper cells” that would attack Israelis.

Israeli officials have also pointed toward a senior Hezbollah terror group official by the name of Hajj Khalil Harb as the one responsible for coordinating smuggling attempts into northern Israel.

The Lebanese Hezbollah has long maintained control over the area adjacent to the border with Israel.