Israel Border Police foiled an attempt to smuggle 13 Palestinians from Judea and Samaria into Israel in a secret compartment beneath a bus floor, according to Border Police. A concealed door built into the vehicle's floor led to a cramped hidden space. The driver, an East Jerusalem resident, was arrested along with the 13.
Border Police officers at the Rantis Crossing in Judea and Samaria foiled an attempt Wednesday evening to smuggle 13 Palestinians from Judea and Samaria into Israel in a hidden compartment beneath a bus floor. According to Border Police, a concealed door built into the floor of the vehicle led to a cramped space where the individuals were hiding. The driver, an East Jerusalem resident, was arrested along with all 13 suspects and taken for questioning to the Border Police base in Qalqilya. The interception occurred at the crossing itself, with the bus heading toward Israel when it was stopped, officials said.
This development follows a preliminary report from The Zioneer earlier Wednesday, at 13:28 Jerusalem, which stated that Border Police had uncovered 13 illegal entrants in a secret compartment on a bus in Judea and Samaria and arrested the Arab driver. The current dispatch adds the specific location — Rantis Crossing — and identifies the driver as an East Jerusalem resident, and details the concealment method: a false door built into the bus structure leading to a compartment under the floor.
Smuggling of illegal entrants from Judea and Samaria has been an escalating pattern, as The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks. On June 29, Border Police thwarted the transport of illegal residents in Rahat, arresting five. On June 15, officers arrested over 70 Palestinians in Ramla, some of whom had illegally entered Israel. On June 11, 16 illegal entrants were arrested near Regavim. On June 9, eight illegal residents were found concealed in a double-walled compartment of a commercial vehicle. The sophistication of the concealment at Rantis — a purpose-built hidden compartment under a bus floor — reflects an increasingly organized smuggling effort.
No additional information about the identities of the 13 individuals or the circumstances of the arrest beyond what was reported has been released. Investigation is ongoing.
2 developments
- StrongBorder police, Jerusalem police thwart smuggling of 8 illegal residents hidden in commercial vehicle
- StrongBorder Police arrest 70+ Palestinians in Ramla building, including illegal entrants
- DevelopingBorder Police volunteers arrest 16 illegal entrants near Regavim
- DevelopingSecurity forces arrest Palestinians disguised as Jews at Maccabim Crossing
Source and signal
- Internal intake