Last update - 00:00 05/03/2007
Detective charged with doing bidding of Israeli Arab crime family
By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent
A police detective was charged Monday with having performed a range of illegal acts at the behest of an Israeli Arab crime family, including warning of planned police raids and exposing the identity of a police informant, in exchange for bribes tied to the profits of an illicit casino.
The indictment, filed by the Police Investigations Department in Be'er Sheva District Court, alleges that detective Tiran Zalai divulged sensitive information to Kamel Ayat, of the Hariri-Ayat crime family.
Zalai is charged with having warned Ayat ahead of police raids on illegal casinos; having delivered him details from a murder investigation; and to have exposed the identity of a police informant who operated in Jaljulya.
In return, the charge sheet said, Zalai took bribes that included proceeds from an illegal casino operated by the crime family.
Zalai is also charged with assisting Ayat blackmail brothel owners, and to have also operated a brothel himself, employing several prostitutes.
An additional charge in the indictment alleges that Zalai partnered an Income Tax official in extorting business owners who were subject to Tax Authority investigations. According to the indictment, the two closed investigation cases in return for the bribes they took.
"The defendant, whose duty was to enforce the law and battle criminal corruption, 'crossed the lines' and abused his position and authority as a policeman to perform serious crimes," the indictment said.
Zalai is charged with a large number of offenses, including bribe-related counts, extortion, fraud and breach of trust, obstructing justice, possession of property for prostitution purposes, and conspiracy to commit crimes.