2 yeshiva students caught at customs with 3,500 packs of cigarettes
The two, students of Ponevez, returned from the Ukrainian capital Kiev by flight • Suspected of serving as couriers of network to smuggle cigarettes
- Eli Schlesinger, Behadrey Haredim
- כ' חשון התשע"ד
Photo: Yaakov Nachumi
The phenomenon of smuggling of cigarettes by couriers from Ukraine to Israel, gained momentum in the last year and customs at Ben Gurion Airport resolved to eradicate this phenomenon. Yesterday (Monday) two yeshiva students in Israel who tried to smuggle 3,500 packs of cigarettes and, allegedly served as couriers, were brought to the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court.
The two yeshiva students from Ponevez – Masores HaTorah in Bnei Brak, flew back yesterday after a visit to Uman on a flight from Kiev, Ukraine.
When they moved through the green channel, they were asked by testers at the customs to X-ray their baggage, so it turned out that the suspicion they aroused was not in vain, one was caught in possession of 1,460 packs of cigarettes and the other in possession of 2,000 packs of cigarettes, which they did not bother to declare upon entry.
They are suspect of evading import taxes for the sum of NIS 30,000 and NIS 41,000 respectively, according to the arrest request filed by the Customs Drug Master at Ben Gurion Airport.
Ben Gurion Airport Customs investigators interrogated the two yeshiva students, who admitted smuggling cigarettes. Investigation revealed that the two stayed in Ukraine for one day only and serve as couriers. According to one suspect, he was supposed to receive NIS 2,000 for smuggling and the other, so he said, was promised a significant sum of money. The suspects gave the investigators the name of another person living abroad, whom they were supposed to call upon arrival to Israel, and he was supposed to give them the name of the contact in the country, who would receive the cigarettes. However, the controlled phone call to the other person living abroad remained silent, as he did not answer any calls.
Judge Tirtza Shaham Kenan ordered to release the suspects under restrictive conditions: a self bail of NIS 1,500 each, a third party guarantee of NIS 5,000 each, cash deposits of NIS 3,500 by each one of the suspects, an inhibition to leave the country and more.
The two yeshiva students from Ponevez – Masores HaTorah in Bnei Brak, flew back yesterday after a visit to Uman on a flight from Kiev, Ukraine.
When they moved through the green channel, they were asked by testers at the customs to X-ray their baggage, so it turned out that the suspicion they aroused was not in vain, one was caught in possession of 1,460 packs of cigarettes and the other in possession of 2,000 packs of cigarettes, which they did not bother to declare upon entry.
They are suspect of evading import taxes for the sum of NIS 30,000 and NIS 41,000 respectively, according to the arrest request filed by the Customs Drug Master at Ben Gurion Airport.
Ben Gurion Airport Customs investigators interrogated the two yeshiva students, who admitted smuggling cigarettes. Investigation revealed that the two stayed in Ukraine for one day only and serve as couriers. According to one suspect, he was supposed to receive NIS 2,000 for smuggling and the other, so he said, was promised a significant sum of money. The suspects gave the investigators the name of another person living abroad, whom they were supposed to call upon arrival to Israel, and he was supposed to give them the name of the contact in the country, who would receive the cigarettes. However, the controlled phone call to the other person living abroad remained silent, as he did not answer any calls.
Judge Tirtza Shaham Kenan ordered to release the suspects under restrictive conditions: a self bail of NIS 1,500 each, a third party guarantee of NIS 5,000 each, cash deposits of NIS 3,500 by each one of the suspects, an inhibition to leave the country and more.
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