'Green Police' bust suspects for illegal burial of waste around Israel

The Green Police, an arm of the Environmental Protection Ministry, arrested suspects on Monday for their role in transporting waste to illegal landfills throughout the country via trucks, following a one-year undercover investigation. The investigation began when the Green Police received a tip about a number of suspects who were systematically transferring waste to a pirate transit station in the center of Israel, where it was brought onto trucks and then buried in illegal sites around the country, causing damage to state infrastructure and soil contamination. The suspects also operated warehouses and gas stations without a business license. The Green Police worked together with the Tel Aviv Central District Police, the Tax Authority, and the Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority as part of their investigation.After necessary evidence was collected using various technological means, the investigation was officially made public on Monday. The suspects have been detained for questioning, with police officers searching their homes and offices for documents and storage devices that may be relevant to the investigation. "We once again see successful cooperation between the Green Police, the Israel Police and the law enforcement authorities in the fight against environmental crime," said Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel. "The Environmental Protection Ministry will continue to monitor and enforce the pollution, and ensure that they are punished."The investigation is in its infancy, and additional suspects are expected to come up and be detained as it develops.