Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced it is freezing the permit of the company involved in the foiled attempt to smuggle thousands of cigarettes into Gaza, which were hidden inside boxes of pineapples, Israeli media report.
At 15:09 Jerusalem, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced the freezing of the permit of the company involved in the foiled cigarette smuggling attempt at the Lachish crossing earlier today. The announcement followed the publication of documentation by ynet at 14:29 Jerusalem, showing the cigarettes concealed inside pineapple boxes. The incident marks the latest in a series of smuggling attempts at Gaza crossings, with COGAT taking administrative action against the company.
At 13:04 Jerusalem, Israeli media reported that security forces at the Lachish crossing had thwarted an attempt to smuggle thousands of cigarettes into Gaza, hidden inside hundreds of pineapples. The Defense Ministry's crossing authority stated that the truck was carrying a shipment purchased by an Israeli company approved for humanitarian aid. COGAT head Maj. Gen. Yoram Lavi ordered the immediate suspension of the company's permit to bring aid into the Strip. Shortly after, at 14:29 Jerusalem, ynet published visual documentation of the seizure, corroborating the official account and adding a public record of the evidence.
As The Zioneer reported on June 18, 2026, a similar smuggling attempt was foiled with cigarettes hidden in Pringles cans. Additionally, on June 22, 2026, The Zioneer covered an internal scandal at Israel Customs where smuggled cigarettes worth tens of millions of shekels disappeared from state custody, highlighting ongoing challenges in enforcing customs controls. The current incident underscores the persistent efforts to smuggle goods into Gaza despite heightened scrutiny.
The identity of the company involved has not been disclosed, and the exact number of cigarettes seized—described only as 'thousands'—remains unspecified. It is not yet clear whether the company will face legal proceedings beyond the permit freeze, or whether other entities were involved in the smuggling attempt.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake