The Northern District Police and Military Police filed an indictment Monday against a reservist and two others for stealing an M16 rifle from an IDF base in northern Israel and selling it to a known criminal, Israeli media report. The investigation also uncovered a drug distribution network supplying IDF bases, linked to the weapon buyer. The reservist's brother, an IDF major with a medical cannabis license, sold his cannabis to one of the defendants, and a separate indictment is expected against him.
The indictment filed Monday against a reservist and two others for stealing an M16 rifle from an IDF base in northern Israel has expanded into a broader investigation, revealing a drug distribution network supplying IDF bases in the north. The probe, conducted by the Northern District Police and the Military Police, also implicated the reservist's brother, an IDF major, who allegedly sold his medical cannabis to one of the defendants. A separate indictment is expected against the major.
As The Zioneer reported at 13:44 Jerusalem, the initial indictment was filed against Adham ben Ahmed Saadia for receiving the stolen weapon. Subsequent reports revealed that the reservist, a non-commissioned officer, had stolen the M16 from a fellow soldier at a base in northern Israel and handed it to Saadia at a gas station in a pre-planned operation. By the same hour, the investigation had uncovered the drug network linked to the weapon buyer, and it was revealed that the reservist's brother, an IDF major with a medical cannabis license, sold his cannabis to one of the defendants.
The Zioneer has previously reported on cases of weapon theft from military stockpiles, including an indictment of three Israeli Arabs for selling weapons to the terrorist in the Kokhav Ya'ir attack, and the arrest of a reservist in Netivot for possessing weapons taken from the fighting in Gaza. These cases highlight the ongoing challenge of preventing weapons from falling into criminal hands.
A separate indictment against the major is expected in the coming days. The full scope of the drug network and its reach to other IDF bases remains under investigation.
6 developments
- StrongIDF reservist arrested in Netivot on suspicion of possessing, selling weapons taken from Gaza or Oct. 7
- DevelopingArab reservist reportedly transferred weapons from army to Arabs in Rahat
- DevelopingIDF: Two M16 rifles found hidden in secret compartments at Nablus charity building
- DevelopingIndictment filed against Bedouin suspected of smuggling weapons from Egypt via drone network
Source and signal
- Open-source intake