The Israel Tax Authority prevented the smuggling of five kilograms of gold through the Allenby crossing from Jordan on Thursday.
Customs agents were informed by Israel Airports Authority officials that a sum of $1,500 wrapped in foil was found in the possession of a Palestinian bus driver and they decided to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the driver and the bus.
Thus, upon further inspection, the agents at the Allenby crossing near Jericho foiled found five gold bars weighing one kilogram in a secret compartment in the bus returning from Jordan.
The Allenby bridge
The Allenby border bridge serves as a land border crossing between Israel and Jordan, mainly for Palestinians, tourists of various nationalities, diplomats and residents of east Jerusalem.
The bus driver denied having any products or funds as was required in the customs statement. However after a physical inspection of the bus, a hidden compartment in the air conditioning duct where the gold bars were hidden was discovered.
The gold and the bus that was used to transport it were seized, the bus driver was questioned by Allenby customs agents and handed over to Palestinian authorities for further treatment.
Gold valued at over one million shekels
The value of the gold is estimated at more than a million shekels and the tax on it is worth around NIS 180,000.
This comes two months after a Jordanian MP was arrested for smuggling nearly 100 kilos of gold and over 200 assorted firearms. The MP's immunity was revoked by the Jordanian Parliament and he is set to face trial for weapons smuggling.