A man suspected of involvement in a sex-trafficking network was extradited from Serbia to Israel this week and is expected to be questioned by police in connection with an ongoing investigation, according to the State Attorney’s Office International Department.
Yosef Koperschmidt is suspected of conspiring with others to recruit women abroad and bring them to Israel for the purpose of providing sex services, the authorities shared on Tuesday.
The investigation was opened in early August 2025, days after Koperschmidt allegedly left Israel. Several suspected associates were arrested shortly thereafter and have since been indicted, according to media reports.
Working in coordination with the Israel Police’s Interpol unit, the State Attorney’s Office launched an international search for Koperschmidt, which led to his arrest in Serbia on September 11, 2025. A formal extradition request was subsequently submitted to Serbian authorities, culminating in his transfer to Israel this week.
Police are expected to question Koperschmidt under caution in the coming days, with investigators indicating that additional investigative steps are likely to follow, depending on the outcome of the questioning.
Law-enforcement shifts focus to target trafficking
Law-enforcement authorities have, in recent years, emphasized a shift toward targeting trafficking networks and organizers, rather than focusing solely on individual offenses. Human-trafficking cases are typically investigated jointly by police, the State Attorney’s Office, and international partners, given their cross-border nature.
The extradition comes amid renewed legislative attention to Israel’s sex industry. In December 2025, the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee began advancing measures to ban the operation of brothels nationwide, alongside earlier legislation that criminalized the purchase of sex, as part of efforts to curb exploitation and trafficking.