Snir Rahamim of Petah Tikva was released on Tuesday under restrictions after
being questioned about hundreds of thousands of capsules and ampules of illegal
drugs, including anabolic steroids in his possession.
For months the
Customs Authority’s drug unit and the Health Ministry’s unit for pharmaceutical
crime have being carrying out a secret investigation of people suspected of
smuggling the illegal drugs into the country.
Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s
Court Judge Shlomit Jakubowicz released the suspect as the investigation
continues. On May 7, the two units held a joint raid on the home of the
suspect.
Tens of thousands of pills, powders and syringes filled with
illegal drugs were confiscated.
Among them were testosterone and
methandrostenolone hormone pills that may not legally be imported into
Israel.
Health Ministry pharmaceutical crime unit head Mickey Arieli said
on Wednesday that these substances can cause serious side effects including
kidney diseases, hepatitis and liver failure, as well as acne, hair loss and
other skin problems. Psychiatric problems such as bipolar disorder, paranoid
psychosis, depression and aggression may also result from ingesting or injecting
the drugs.
The authorities also found $53,000 in cash at his
home.
The suspect said he had received orders for the goods from foreign
suppliers via the Internet that are then shipped via the mail in packages
listing his personal name on them. The ministry said he admitted that such
imports were illegal but did so anyway. He also said he pays for the drugs and
transfers cash in foreign currency via the postal services.
The ministry
added that the suspect admitted to having an identity card that is believed to
be counterfeit that he had planned on using to draw funds for another person. He
claimed that the identity card was supplied by the same person with his
approval, but that he decided not to cash the money for that person.
The
authorities said they suspected that the man has a turnover of hundreds of
thousands of dollars a year dealing with illegal drugs.
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