Israeli security forces identified several individuals on Thursday night who were suspected of smuggling drugs across the border with Egypt and caught them.
In total, the IDF seized NIS3.5m worth of illegal drugs, weighing approximately 100 kilograms. The smugglers' vehicles and equipment were also seized and turned over to Israel Police.
לוחמי צה"ל סיכלו הברחת סמים בשווי של כשלושה וחצי מיליון שקלים בגבול מצריםתצפיות צה"ל זיהו במהלך הלילה מספר חשודים שניסו להבריח סמים משטח מצרים לשטח ישראל במרחב החטיבה המרחבית "פארן" >> pic.twitter.com/1GwMTPtx7s
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 30, 2022
Operation Negev Shield
The IDF began formally combating drug smugglers two years ago with the commencement of Operation Magen Hanegev (Negev Shield). The operation is massive, both in terms of manpower and volume of confiscated drugs and weapons.
According to a recent Jerusalem Post report, the operation also targets marijuana greenhouses built in live-fire zones and cracks down on infiltrations into military bases in order to steal weapons.
Recently, Israel seized 300 illegal weapons as well as about NIS 135m. worth of drugs on the Jordanian and Egyptian borders.