Israel Police has uncovered large alleged drug and weapons trafficking networks based in the über-haredi Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim and a similar haredi neighborhood in the town of Beit Shemesh.
Updated 1:01 pm CST
Huge Wave Of Haredi And Zionist Orthodox Drug Trafficking And Weapons Arrests Rock Israel
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Israel Police has uncovered large alleged drug and weapons trafficking networks based in the über-haredi Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim and a similar haredi neighborhood in the town of Beit Shemesh, Kikar HaShabbat reported.
Police made a wave of arrests, in part with the help of an undercover haredi police officer.
Most of the haredim were arrested for drug trafficking. Some of those arrested for weapons trafficking are Palestinian. Zionist Orthodox traffickers, apparently based in the West Bank, were also nabbed in the sweep.
The case was broken with the help of an undercover haredi police officer who discovered to his surprise that "there is a dark conscious behavior of the drug trade in kiosks and alleys of the neighborhood,” police said. "The undercover cop was able to engage in haredi society. He observed drug deals being carried out and began to acquire dealers, in a controlled manner, different types of drugs."
He also bought a stolen vehicle from and was offered weapons by two illegal Palestinian workers in the neighborhood.
In the über-haredi neighborhood, Ramat Beit Shemesh, of Beit Shemesh the undercover haredi cop bought several dozen kilograms of drugs worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, stolen vehicles, two sub-machine guns, an assault rifle, and ammunition.
45 suspects have been arrested so far and and dditional arrests are expected.
The undercover haredi policeman, whose spent 1-1/2 years on the case, made a brief statement today about the arrests.
“I would like to thank everyone who has accompanied me throughout the period. I believe and hope that these activities against the perpetrators of crime would bring peace and security to the residents of the normative neighborhoods and prevent the cycle of crime from getting worse. As it is stated in Deuteronomy, you shall burn the evil from your midst. I hope that we manage to maintain the good and eliminate the bad in order to better society,” the undercover haredi policeman said.
[Hat Tip: Marty Bluke.]