Police, army nab huge stash of hash on Egyptian border

The police’s anti-smuggling unit busted two men Sunday night who allegedly attempted to smuggle 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of hashish over the Egyptian border.

An IDF patrol pursued the suspects, residents of the southern Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj, until they were caught by police officers. During the chase, the suspects hurled the drugs from their vehicle but failed to cast them over the border fence into Egypt.

The two suspects’ remand was extended until Thursday.

Superintendent Noam Kaiser, commander of the Magen unit, said the unit would continue to use its technological and human resources in cooperation with the IDF in order to prevent drugs from being brought illegally into or out of Israel.

Last year, Israel completed an electronic fence along its southern border to keep illegal migrants out. The fence has also enabled security forces to crack down on drug smuggling across the border, which had been relatively easy before the construction of the fence.

Earlier this month, the police captured 50 kilograms of hashish that an Egyptian smuggler managed to toss over the security fence into Israel. The perpetrator escaped on an ATV.