The bust comes amid continued efforts by security forces to stop the flow of the illegal substances into Israeli territory.
By Erin Viner
Soldiers from the Paran Regional Brigade, which secures the border with Sinai, spotted a number of suspects attempting to smuggle drugs into Israel last night, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
Forces dispatched to the scene seized 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds) of drugs, worth ₪ 1,650,000 NIS (nearly $46,800, just over €441,000).
The confiscated drugs were transferred to the Israel Police for further processing.
Just a month ago in December 2022, the IDF foiled a similar attempt to bring 140 kg of drugs from Egyptian territory into Israel.
An Israeli official said that that at over 500 attempts to bring drugs into the country from the lawless Sinai Peninsula were disrupted in in 2022, up from 200 the preceding year – reflecting a drop in successful runs from %50 to %20. It is estimated that ₪ 300 million NIS worth of drugs passed through the border illegally this past year.