Seven bus drivers were among 10 people arrested for drug dealing and driving under the influence of illicit substances, police said Thursday.
The drivers, who worked for the Superbus company, were all residents of East Jerusalem and drove the Jerusalem-Beit Shemesh route.
“Bus drivers transporting dozens of passengers every day while under the influence of drugs pose a serious threat to the lives of the passengers who place their trust in the drivers,” police said in a statement.
According to details cleared for publication, the drivers would regularly purchase drugs at the company’s fueling station in Beit Shemesh and some would use the substances shortly before picking up passengers to make the return trip to Jerusalem.
Police did not say what the substances were.
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Three of the drivers were involved in accidents, the most recent of which was two months ago, Channel 2 news reported.
The arrests followed a covert police operation.
The drivers were released pending trial and banned from their work for 90 days. The prosecution filed charges against the supplier of the drugs.
In response, the Superbus company said that it condemns any drivers who have driven under the influence of drugs and vowed to bar all the suspects from work for the duration of the inquiry.
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