Head Of Busted Satmar Drug Ring May Be Unfit For Trial

Ben Zion Miller accused of leading group that smuggled 90,000 Ecstasy pills.

Hasidic 'drug smuggler' may be unfit for trial
By Yuval Goren, Ha'aretz.com

The principal suspect in a case involving alleged drug smuggling by Satmar Hasidim has been sent for psychiatric evaluation and may be declared unfit to stand trial.

The suspect, Ben Zion Miller, is accused of smuggling 90,000 Ecstasy pills from Holland to Japan. The Tel Aviv District Court ordered the evaluation in response to an appeal against his detention in which his attorney, Yair Nehorai, argued that he suffered from manic depression and might be unfit to stand trial.

Miller and Yisrael Eisenbach, both Satmar Hasidim from Jerusalem, were arrested early last week by the Tel Aviv police on suspicion of involvement in a drug-smuggling ring uncovered last April when Japanese police arrested three Satmar Hasidim at an airport in Shiba, Japan and found 90,000 Ecstasy pills in their suitcases. That prompted an international investigation involving Interpol as well as national police forces, that ultimately resulted in the arrest of Miller and Eisenbach. The latter was released one day after being arrested, but Miller remained in detention, prompting Nehorai to appeal.

In his appeal, Nehorai said that Miller was on regular medication to treat his manic depression, and the state had even declared him partially disabled on account of this illness. Therefore, he argued, Miller might be unfit to stand trial, and if so, there was no justification for continuing to hold him in detention - not to mention the fact that the state would be wasting its time and money by pursuing the case against him.

Moreover, Nehorai argued, Miller's family was very concerned that the pressures of being interrogated by the police and the poor conditions in the lock-up would cause his fragile mental condition to deteriorate, provoking a bout of full-fledged depression.

The court agreed that Miller should be sent for psychiatric evaluation in the next few days. However, it decided, he should remain in detention until the results of the evaluation are received.

Photo: Ben Zion Miller in court.

[Hat Tip: Yankel.]

Comments

[Sam]

Another misleading headline? Your headline implies that Satmar, as a group, is somehow involved with this drug ring. I'm yet to see any such connection. Once again, your misleading headlines undermines your credibility.

[omg]

To me, the headline it implies that the membership of the drug ring was composed of Satmars. If that is so, to me the headline is accurate.

[omg]

Shmarya,
There's a beautiful article on VIN about Moshele Holtzberg and his nanny. Please post it here.

[The Little Wolf]

Does this arrest impact the young men in custody in Japan, the patsies of these alleged criminals. I am surprised that the article did not elaborate.

[Reb Doniel]

We should be mispallel these young men. They were naive and what happened to them could have happened to any unsuspecting young person. Caveat emptor.

[Isa]

Regarding:
""""unsuspecting young person""""
IF they knew that they had these pills then they deserve to rot forever in a Japanese jail.

[j.]

Isa, do you ever have anything positive nto say about anybody?

[omg]

They were totally stupid and had no inkling of the possible punishment involved. From the stature of the arrested one, which is hardly anything to go by, but he seems like a type living in a fantasy world, I dont know, but he looks it. Stupid move, too much money. Where did he get the money to fly all over?? How old is he? He looks very young. A lost soul. Poor thing. More to be pitied than scorned.

[Sam]

++To me, the headline it implies that the membership of the drug ring was composed of Satmars. If that is so, to me the headline is accurate.++

It is not so. Hence, the headline is inaccurate. All in the name of 'journalism'.

[jacob]

Isa. Do uoi ever have anything positive or complimentary to say about anything or anybody?

[Dr. Dave]

If your community teaches you to avoid honest work, this is the sort of thing that can happen.

[hometown postville]

Unless a person with mental illness refuses to take their medication during committment, which is their right to do, being confined in a psychiatric ward is not the worst place for them to be. They would get 3 square meals, consistent medication, professional monitoring/assessment, and counseling. People with mental illness can do things while off medication they wouldn't dream of doing otherwise. But as OMG stated,this boy must have had access to lots of money and little supervision. A young person with mental illness would try to fit into whatever crowd would accept them. The professionals will have to make the call on this one according to his history.

[Ben]

On a positive note, it shows that Satmars are just people like any other people, even though they are dressed funny. This case and other cases like this will teach civil authorities around the world to treat them not as a holy and highly moral men, but like anybody else. Not better and worse. Incvisition and Islamic terrorists showed us that religion is not always force for good, now come the Satmars.

[omg]

Islamic terrorists showed us that religion is not always force for good, now come the Satmars.

Posted by: Ben | February 22, 2009 at 10:58 AM

To even utter in the same breath Islamic terrorists and Satmars says something really weird about you. What are you thinking?? are you for real?? I don't have anything to keep me loving the Satmars, but to include both groups in your illustration saying that "religion is not always force for good", Oh my G-d, I only hope that you are not an elected official. Its your kind of thinking that really is a disorder. Yes, you have a thought disorder to say what you said.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Incvisition and Islamic terrorists showed us that religion is not always force for good, now come the Satmars.

Posted by: Ben | February 22, 2009 at 10:58 AM

ben, i am the first one to step forward and point out the potential danger in religious and dogmatic thinking. however, your comment is illogical and incongruous. there is no connection between acts committed as a result of religious doctrine or beliefs, such as the inquisition or islamic terror, where the perpetrators believe they are doing god's will, and this case. there is nothing in satmar or jewish ideology which calls for drug smuggling, or claims this pleases god. this is just a case of fallible humans who happen to be satmar.
arguments against religion should only be made when appropriate.

[Yoel]

This interesting tidbit is newsworthy, but yields little information about the social history of the Satmar community in Israel. We need to take a more serious research attitude if this website is to be useful But thanks for the tidbit.

[ah-pee-chorus]

yoel, i think you miss the point of this site. it is meant to encourage thought and discussion on issues that might interest and trouble jews. it doesn't claim to intend to replace a newspaper or magazine. the web is available to you to do all the extra research you wish.

[omg]

yoel, I agree with apc. Enjoy yourself, its later than you think. And if you want to post related links to inform, by all means, I don't think anyone would disagree with my saying to you, "Do so".

[jake]

HERY BEN... not all muslims are terrorists.... most terrorists are muslims though..... A few Satmars may have been drug dealers..99.999% of drug dealers are not Satmars. in fcat not jews at all. if your going to make a blanket statement make some effort to think past that first step in logic... if your unable to do that please refrain from the dumb comments..

[yidandahalf]

It is most unlikely this individual abstained from taking his medication if he is indeed manic depressive. In almost all cases the individuals afflicted with this condition very willingly take their medicine. Otherwise they suffer terribly. It is a ploy by his corrupt lawyer. This person's decision to take the plunge into drug trafficking would have to have coincided with a manic phase if he was off the reservation. This is just as unlikely.
To the two towers of intellect, actually one guy, I guess, who took pot shots at Isa: Isa is old school, he tells it like it is and his insight is NEVER off the mark.

[ReadingQuick]

It is not so. Hence, the headline is inaccurate. All in the name of 'journalism'.

Then you need to learn how to read headlines.

If the headline read "Head of British Drug Ring . . . " would you think that it implied that the entire UK was part of the ring?

If it read "Police Bust Brooklyn Drug Gang" would you think that it implied that the entire borough of Brooklyn was in the gang?

[Ben]

It was not my intention to equate ideology of Satmar and that of Islamic terrorists. I see now that it came out this way. I agree with all the critics of my earlier comment.
All I wanted to say that even most stringent interpretation of religious doctrine doesn't necessarily make everyone the best men they can be. The proper comparison would be Catholic priest sodomy scandals with Satmar drug dealing cases. We should not judge the people exclusively by the dress they wear.

[Rabbidw]

Is this Ben Zion Miller, related to the famous chazzan?

[cons_api@yahoo.com]

While, of course, these individuals are foolish for breaking laws that are taken very seriously, indeed, by the governments involved, the laws themselves are foolish. Consider this little editorial in a medical journal:

http://jop.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/23/1/3

The author is comparing societal harms caused by Ecstasy with those caused by the very legal activity of equestrianism (that's horseback riding for those of you who have spent too much time indoors in yeshiva.) And guess what, Ecstasy is safer.

Sure, the author is being a little tounge in cheek, but he is (or was, I think this little article caused some politicians some heartburn) also the chair of the British government Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. (Unfortunately, the politicians don't like what he says, becuase it serves their electoral interests to have a moral panic about "dangerous" drugs and thus get voters to not think rationally.)

Anyway, I allow my kids to ride horses, I think it's good exercise, and they learn a lot of responsibility and other good stuff taking care of the beasts, and I do counsel them to stay away from drugs, too, but only because of the overreaction by the law.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Cons, you should do some volunteer work in a hospital emergency department, especially in a college town on a Friday or Saturday night, and see the results of what you are calling an "overreaction" to the law.

Perhaps in a technocratic society, we would ban motorcycles, tobacco, alcohol, fatty foods, etc., but I will leave that topic for another day.

I do hope you tell your kids to stay away from drugs for more reasons than just the law.

Perhaps society should ban shitty parenting, too.

And regarding another little tidbit you threw in, defining equestrianism for the yeshiva crowd, I've known yeshiva guys all my life, and for a period of time I was one, as well. Except for a small fraction of the most cloistered sects, most yeshiva guys can dance circles around you in the way of intelligence. Even if they don't know a definition, or if they're not up on all the latest pop culture or current events, they quickly educate themselves as needed, and then promptly excel at the task required.

[conservative apikoris]

Cons, you should do some volunteer work in a hospital emergency department, especially in a college town on a Friday or Saturday night, and see the results of what you are calling an "overreaction" to the law.

Hey, don't give me emotional anecdotal argumentation, read Dr. Nutt's statistics. More people in Britain get killed falling off of horses than from Ecstasy.

Too bad, living has risks, and every single one of us has a one-way ticket to the grave, in any event. If someone feels their life is made more bearable by taking a recreational drug, why should any of us care as long as that person doesn't endanger others?

Besides, I suspect that most of those college kids who end up at the hospital end up there from drinking alcohol, which is not illegal.

The "war" on drugs is a stupid waste of time. Most people can use recreational drugs with few ill effects. Those who can't, obviously, should avoid them. But there's no need for the cops and the law to be involved the way they are. It's a waste of taxpayer money and it's merely turned our society into the beginnings of a police state.

[conservative apikoris]

Perhaps society should ban shitty parenting, too.

Are you implying that teaching my children to respect the law is "shitty parenting?"

And regarding another little tidbit you threw in, defining equestrianism for the yeshiva crowd, I've known yeshiva guys all my life, and for a period of time I was one, as well. Except for a small fraction of the most cloistered sects, most yeshiva guys can dance circles around you in the way of intelligence. Even if they don't know a definition, or if they're not up on all the latest pop culture or current events, they quickly educate themselves as needed, and then promptly excel at the task required.

Ah, nothing like an ad-hominem attack to complete the day. I never suggested that yeshiva students couldn't figure out what an equestrian was, I gave them the definition as a convenience, so they wouldn't have to look it up. I am also quite aware that many yeshiva kids (and frum Jews in general) are not the mindless robots their leaders would like them to be.

But I don't know what this has to do about intelligence, and I'm not even sure what intelligence has to do with the worth of a person.

[conservative apikoris]

Perhaps in a technocratic society, we would ban motorcycles, tobacco, alcohol, fatty foods, etc., but I will leave that topic for another day.

Oh no, this gets to the heart of the matter. All of these things (with the possible exception of tobacco) have some benefit, yet they are very risky. And yet we manage our society perfectly fine without attempting a total ban of these things. I would certainly not want to ban them.

Face it, the oblivion of death is our destiny. Why should we try to negate it through "healthy" living?

[Itchiemayer]

"The "war" on drugs is a stupid waste of time. Most people can use recreational drugs with few ill effects. Those who can't, obviously, should avoid them. But there's no need for the cops and the law to be involved the way they are. It's a waste of taxpayer money and it's merely turned our society into the beginnings of a police state". So sayeth conservative apikoris - Well, save for the last part about the police state, I actually am for the most part in agreement with you. You can throw in legalizing prostitution as well. It could be that someone can come up with arguments why these are not good ideas, so I am not all the way there yet, but that is the direction in which I am leaning. This is coming from someone who has only had relations with the woman now known as my ex-wife, and never used illegal drugs. As far as a police state in the making, I can see that as well, but not so much in reference to enforcement of drug laws. However, a legislator in my state wants to make a law whereby police can ticket you for not having a seatbelt on, which I know is a law in some states. That is ridiculous. And one can get fined for allowing their child to ride a bike without a helmet. Now I think that seatbelts and bike helmets are good ideas, but not ideas which should be legislated. I spent my childhood riding a bike without a helmet, and I turned out fine ... I think...right?
Well, throw all this in with those red-light cameras which are everywhere now, and I guess Orwell was off by 25 years.

[Isa]

Regarding:
"""Isa. Do uoi ever have anything positive or complimentary to say about anything or anybody?"""
HANG THEM HIGH!
Drug runners/pushers are scum of the Earth not to mention MOLESTORS!
BTW MOLESTORS should be burnt at the stake.
BTW that earlier thing about some molestors in Israel and the (sick) Rabbis scream don't be a moser (informer)
I got a remedy for that...
If I was a father of a molested child I would get me a bone crusher THUG. If the hand sinned a steel pipe would smash the hand If the mouth sinned a baseball bat would smash the mouth (teeth/jaw)
Then the THUG would 'inform' the rabbi "keep saying a moser is a sinner" works both ways
Fear works wonders!

[WoolSilkCotton]

Oy vay. I thought the full moon was two weeks ago.

Most alcohol poisoning in the ED is from underage drinking, which is illegal.

Please visit a drug treatment center and talk to the patients about whether drugs like ecstasy, heroin or cocaine should be legalized or not.

Your original quote, "...for those of you who have spent too much time indoors in yeshiva..." it doesn't exactly sound like a compliment.

On any given evening, the typical lineup here at FM consists of at least 2 physicians, one high school teacher, several attorneys, 2 pulpit rabbis, and a couple of computer analysts and businessmen. If you include my kids, who also follow this site, add 3 graduate students. The intelligence level here needs no justification.

And if you tell your kids to avoid drugs just because they are illegal, then yes, you are a shitty parent.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Itchie, the vast majority of the population are non-medical people, and so they have never seen the effects of a car accident with unbelted occupants, or a bike accident where the rider wasn't wearing a helmet, or a drug or alcohol overdose by a foolish college kid. I am a medical person, and I do see the results of people's unsafe actions.
Sometimes we do need the law to protect us from ourselves. Just how much can be debated, of course, but here in NJ, we have the seat belt law and the bike helmet law, and I don't see this as a 'police state'. Off the top of my head, I can't quote you statistics, but since the enactment of these laws, we've gotten far fewer admissions with catastrophic injuries from car or bike accidents.
As I suggested to conservative apikoris, do volunteer work in an ED at a city hospital on a Saturday night, then get back to me.

[ah-pee-chorus]

itchie, i can't believe we are in near total agreement here. and with my relative ,conservative apc.
in a Free country free people should have the right to do anything they want, yes anything at all that does not impede anyone else's right to their freedoms and safety.(this does not include hurting someone's moral sensitivities or religious beliefs) ALL drugs should be legal. if you are an adult you are free to take whatever risks to your person you desire.
you may sleep with whomever you desire that agrees. (i am speaking of adults rights in all these matters.) you should be allowed to gamble, not wear a seat belt or anything else. however, much as with drinking, you cannot legally drive or otherwise put someones life in danger.
and insurance companies should be allowed to charge higher rates for those who engage in certain activities (sky-diving, holding a pro-obama poster at archie's gettogethers, or taking drugs or drinking.)
free people, free markets.

[ah-pee-chorus]

i meant to add that parents should be forced to have helmets on their children since they are not old enough to understand ramification. just as a parent should not be allowed to have his child do a parachute jump.

[ah-pee-chorus]

the war on alcohol failed....... so it is now legal, and taxed and regulated so you know what you are getting, and no one is killing each other over beer turf. and the only space in our jail being occupied for it is for drunk drivers. treatment is available for alcoholics, and most responsible adults get to enjoy it as free people would.

on the other hand... we lost and continue losing the war on drugs.. so we make no money from it, instead spend billions incarcerating non-criminals, and prevent millions of responsible free adults from enjoying something on this earth which might help them or hurt them. the only difference is that we admitted the war on alcohol can't be won, and we pretend the war on drugs can and should be won, despite being wrong on both.

[ah-pee-chorus]

and itchie, i think you might benefit from a nice 'escort'. you'll feel close to hakadosh baruch hoo... or something similar.

[ah-pee-chorus]

"Sometimes we do need the law to protect us from ourselves"

wsc , with respect, i can't agree . which lawmakers should have the right to decide what we need protection from? physical dangers? which ones? drinking, smoking, caffeine, sky-diving? the 2 most dangerous sports, skiing and snowboarding? auto racing? tackle football? boxing? not getting enough sleep? overeating? ice-cream? fatty foods?
and when our lawmakers have this right , they also choose to protect us from what they arbitrarily decide are spiritually dangerous. they ban prostitution, gambling, shopping on sundays, and homosexual sex is still against the law in many states. all in the name of protecting us from our weak selves.
if we are a free country, i wish us to maintain the freedom to make each one of these choices as i see fit.

i would love for the govt. to spend one tenth of money saved by legalizing on education and rehab programs for all who need. huge ads and billboards should educate us on dangers of some drugs, drink and food. footage should be shown of victims of accidents who werent wearing seat belts or helmets. let us all be knowledgeable and then make our own choices.

[Itchiemayer]

WSC - don't worry...my children wear bike helmets, and we all are buckled in. Nevertheless, I do believe we have gone too far in our laws, irregardless of what one might see in an E.R. Also, don't forget that enforcement of these laws are taking police resources away from what I consider to be more important assignments.
apc - Yes, I am sure I would get some fleeting satisfaction from a nice "escort", but my feelings of guilt immediately thereafter would far override any pleasure. I'll just hold out for my bashert, when and if she makes her appearance.

[ah-pee-chorus]

itchie, maybe going to an escort is the proper hishtadlus u must make in order to find her. does that lessen your guilt? probably not. oh well. good luck anyway.

[PishPosh]

What an insult to those of us who are bi-polar, manic depressive or whatever you wish to call it. He knew what he was doing, manic depression may make you do a lot of unusal behavior, but smuggling drugs is not one of them bastards.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Every drug smuggler says he didn't know what was in the bag that a 'friend' had given him.

Every criminal says that he has some medical/psychiatric condition that caused him to do it.

Every criminal says he found religion/did tshuvah after he was arrested/sentenced, and so now he should be let go (applies for every religion).

So what's different with this case? Nothing. Crooks who happen to be religious Jews? It happens, maybe a little too often.

[WoolSilkCotton]

APC, Itchie, con-api: If you're looking for a place where government regulations don't apply, try Kiryas Joel!

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. A lot of regulations start off as good ideas, then politicians and lobbyists get involved, and then it all goes to hell.

Buckle up! And keep lukshen kugel safe and legal!

[dovid]

i am trying to find a way to contact the moderator of this web site. i couldn't find an email address.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Dovid, try this:

failed.messiah@comcast.net

[ah-pee-chorus]

Buckle up! And keep lukshen kugel safe and legal!

Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | February 23, 2009 at 06:15 AM

i'm with you there.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Guys: Thanks for your support this past week. I have been out of town for a few days, away from a computer. But I'm ba-ack...

[steve]

http://www.examiner.com/x-2220-Celebrity-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m2d23-From-Natalie-Portman-to-Sean-Penn-the-top-5-quotes-of-Oscar-night

“You look like you work in a Hasidic meth lab.” --Natalie Portman

In what was probably the most hilarious moment of the evening, Ben Stiller and Natalie Portman poked fun at whatever is going on with Joaquin Phoenix these days. From the mountain man beard to the totally awkward speech pattern, Ben Stiller nailed Joaquin's wacky behavior most recently showcased during an appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman. But the funniest line of the bit came from Natalie Portman, the straight woman of the pair, when she made the observation above about Stiller's haggard appearance. Because really, didn't she just say what we've all been thinking?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Better Meth Yisroel than that goyishe Meth Stamm crap.

[steve]

You think she was referring to the rumoured meth lab at the Rubashkin plant?

[mr smartass]

haha you guys are all too funny.... we are all human and this man obviously fell to the temptations of money and just because he wears a size 12 kippa, long curls and a shiny coat doesn't make him any better than a common criminal. justifying what he did is the real problem. and for the psychiatric plea, even if its real it only came after he was caught. a man capable of smuggling drugs by the masses can show his face in court. obviously he has good lawyers and this as with most cases is the last resort card that an attorney plays.. "THE MENTALLY UNFIT CARD" hope he has time to repent and get forgiveness IN JAIL. and remember DON'T DROP THE SOAP