IDF, police foil drug smuggling from Lebanon, seize 35 kilos of hashish

Police said Monday that officers and military forces foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs into Israel from Lebanon.

Three residents of the Arab town of Jadeidi-Makr — family members aged 20, 34 and 42 — were detained near Moshav Shtula, adjacent to the border with Lebanon, police said in a statement.

Police added that 35 kilograms of hashish, worth around NIS 1 million ($290,000), were seized by authorities.

In recent years, Israeli security forces foiled smuggling attempts of hashish and weapons into Israel from Lebanon, potentially on behalf of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, according to the military.

Hezbollah has long maintained control over the Lebanese area adjacent to the border with Israel and is unlikely to have been unaware of such smuggling operations.

The terror group is known to fund its activities through drug sales around the world, including producing large amounts of hashish in eastern Lebanon.

Also Monday, police and Israel Defense Forces troops foiled an attempt to smuggle 13 firearms into southern Israel from Jordan, arresting two men in the process.