Last update - 00:00 08/07/2007
Court lifts gag on Haifa police seizure of one million ecstasy pills
By Fadi Eyadat, Haaretz Correspondent
Police and tax authorities seized a container filled with one million ecstasy pills in Haifa's port last month, it was reported Sunday after a Haifa court lifted a gag order.
Police arrested three suspects who are believed to be part of an international drug ring operating in Holland, Belgium and France, that allegedly masterminded the importation of the drugs, estimated by experts to have a street value of some NIS 100 million.
Mehadipur Sharok, 58, of Tel Aviv and Shabtai Michaeli, 65, of Bat Yam were arrested in Israel, and Carmel Haba, 60, was arrested in France where the process for his expatriation to Israel has begun.
Sharok is suspected of being in charge of purchasing and collecting drugs in Europe, as well as partially funding the operation.
He allegedly transferred the drugs to Michaeli, who is believed to have been responsible for collecting the substances in Holland and shipping them to Israel in the container.
Haba is suspected of concealing the drugs and shipping them to Haifa concealed in furniture designated for a local home appliances company.
Police say suspects are not cooperating with the investigation.
They added the seizure was carried out in tandem with the drugs authority.
A police official said the arrest was a blow to drug dealers, and would "dry up" the market and thwart the dispersal of drugs among youths in Israel.