Court refuses to return truck to man suspected of illegal quarrying

The Tiberias Magistrate's Court on Sunday rejected a petition from a man whose truck was impounded last year near the Lower Galilee community of Beit Keshet, on suspicion that he used the vehicle for illegal stone quarrying.

The truck was impounded in October, after an Israel Nature and Parks Authority employee sighted a bulldozer loading stones onto a truck near Beit Keshet. The man driving the bulldozer evaded authorities by driving away, but a second man was detained trying to flee with his truck.

Judge Doron Porat said that files on record indicated that the truck driver frequently mined at the same location. According to Porat, by engaging in quarrying, the suspect was involved in criminal activity including fraud, and violations of property, civic order and title laws.

"It is in the public interest to deter illegal quarrying, which causes severe environmental damage," said Porat, confirming that police had impounded the vehicle to prevent further offenses which could pose harm to the general public.

"The truck is being held in order to severely hinder the claimant, who is currently only a suspect and not a convicted defendant," Porat said. "At this stage, the public interest overpowers the suspect's right to his property."