Weapons smuggling attempt thwarted in Jordan valley

TEL AVIV: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Sunday that a shipment of smuggled weapons had been intercepted at the border with Jordan. "IDF and Israeli security forces thwarted a weapons smuggling attempt in the Jordan Valley," the IDF said on Twitter.

IDF and Israeli security forces thwarted a weapons smuggling attempt in the Jordan Valley.

Last weekend, these 10 handguns and 3 suspects—among them the head of the smuggling operation—were detained. They were transferred for further processing. pic.twitter.com/ZC2KL7rFzo

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 28, 2022

Over the weekend, IDF observers spotted a suspect on the border with Jordan, the IDF said, adding that soldiers and the Israeli border police were sent to the site and detained the suspect who had 10 pistols in his possession. After operational search activities in the area, the IDF detained more suspected smugglers, spotted in two cars.

In total, according to the IDF, this year the military, together with the police and other security forces, managed to prevent the smuggling of approximately 300 illegal weapons and more than two tonnes of drugs to Israel. According to the IDF, the figures for 2022 reflect an increase in the number of attempts to smuggle drugs and weapons to Israel.