Segev to Appear for 2nd Remand Hearing

Former energy minister Gonen Segev will be brought today for his second remand hearing at the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court over suspicions that he attempted to smuggle some 30,000 Ecstasy pills from the Netherlands to Israel.

Police have nearly completed the investigation, in which two additional suspects have also been arrested, and said the suspects will likely be indicted shortly.

Police, who arrested Segev last week, interrogated him all day Monday regarding his version of events. In the course of the day, Segev clashed with the other suspects: Ariel Friedman, an attorney, and Moshe Verner, one of Segev's relatives.

During the disputes, several inconsistencies arose regarding Segev's version of events, said the police sources, which strengthened their opinion that Segev had lied to them.

"Several things we know about don't fit in with the claims [Segev] made," the police said.

Segev, however, continues to maintain that he thought the bags holding five kilograms of drugs actually contained M&M chocolates.

The investigation is now focusing on clarifying who is leading the suspected smugglers and who was supposed to receive and distribute the drugs in Israel.