Since the beginning of 2021: an increase in the volume of smuggling, which included firing • At the same time, the IDF will streamline its operations and thwart 32 smuggling this year • The army admits: "A comprehensive solution is needed"
An IDF vehicle on the border with Egypt
Photo:
Joshua Joseph
Smuggling is not escaping anywhere:
Since the beginning of 2021, there has been a relative increase in the volume of violent drug smuggling on the Israel-Egypt border, according to data obtained by Israel Today.
On the other hand, there has also been an increase in the number of smuggling killings by the army, although about 70 percent of smuggling is still successful.
The army data show that in 2020 as a whole, about 300 smugglings were recorded from Egypt, similar to the number of smuggling in 2019. At the same time, the increase in the number of violent smuggling began in 2020, when 70 violent smuggling was recorded compared to 40 in 2019. In 2021, as of In April, there were about 100 smugglings, about 20 of them violent, and the army notes that this is an increase compared to the same period last year.
As a result of the violent smuggling, two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded in February by stray gunfire from Egyptian territory during an exchange of fire between the Egyptian army and the smugglers. - to succeed in what they want.
The military notes with satisfaction the fact that in recent months there has been an increase in the success of smuggling killings: in the first quarter of 2021 there were 32 smuggling killings, compared to 53 killings in 2020 as a whole and 26 in 2019. Since the beginning of 2021 the IDF has seized 1,400 kg of drugs And nine vehicles, valued at no less than NIS 40 million.
However, despite the impressive and respectable increase in killings, which in 2021 reached about 30 percent of total smuggling, it should not be overlooked that 70 percent of smuggling is still successful.
"Money - for crime"
The positive side is that thanks to the inclusion of the IDF's methods of capturing the smuggling, and the faster arrival of the forces on the ground, the smugglers are required to shorten the smuggling times so as not to be caught, and finish each smuggling within five to ten minutes.
In light of this, there was a decrease in the average number of bags per smuggling, and the total amount of drugs passing along the border decreased. For comparison, in 2019 the average number of drug bags smuggled was 11 bags with an average weight of 18 kg per bag. In total in 2019, it is estimated that 70 tons of drugs with a total value of NIS 4 billion were smuggled. In contrast, in 2020 about 5.8 Sacks in all smuggling, and it is estimated that about 33 tons of drugs passed into Israeli territory, with a total value of NIS 1.86 billion, a decrease of 53.3 percent.
Every year, tens of tons of drugs are smuggled into Israeli territory, providing the criminal organizations with billions of shekels.
"The money does not go to the kindergartens in Rahat, but directly to the criminal organizations," emphasizes the commander of the Paran Brigade in the 80th Spatial Division, Colonel Elad Shoshan.
"These scopes have hurt Israeli society in recent years far more than the damage that Hamas or Hezbollah routinely inflict."
In addition, as the IDF has said for years, the criminal smuggling platform may also be used by terrorist organizations to transfer weapons to Israeli territory.
The IDF explains that until about a year ago there was no clear definition of who was responsible for the seizure of drug smuggling, but the proliferation of smuggling, probably the violence, led to a change in the pattern of action. "Until about a year ago no body said criminal smuggling along the border was its responsibility." Shushan explains that the army has changed policy and stated that the prevention of criminal smuggling along the border is his responsibility.
Frustration from the enforcement system
As part of the change in perception, the IDF established a multi-organizational Knesset, which includes all the relevant parties in the matter of smuggling, including observations and police.
Spatial battalions also specialize in smuggling killings and field study, and in the army it was decided to leave the mixed battalions Karkal and Cheetahs in the sector so that they could specialize in the field and become familiar with all possible smuggling routes.
The IDF is stepping up its forces in the area of Israeli settlements near the border to keep the smuggling away from them. At the same time, the army is often handcuffed, and in cases where there is a slight fear of harming Egyptian soldiers to thwart smuggling, the command is to stop the shooting. They are very limited in the power they can use against the Israeli smugglers, since the directive is not to open fire on them, but only to catch them.
The problem of drug smuggling along the border is part of a broader problem that bothers the IDF and the entire State of Israel - the lack of governance in the Negev. It is too short to detail the enormous damage of Israeli lack of governance in the region, which causes widespread theft from bases and damage to Israeli localities.
The military tries not to explicitly criticize the enforcement system, but there is no doubt that one of the bottlenecks that are holding back a more effective solution to the issue is the enforcement problem.
In recent times, the sentences imposed on Israeli smugglers have worsened, thanks in part to the fact that the army has learned what evidence it must gather to bring about a conviction - but the punishment is still far from deterring smugglers, who pocket large sums of money in each smuggling.
One way or another, in order to reduce or completely stop the smuggling phenomenon along the border, a systematic action of treatment of criminal organizations is required, along with thorough treatment of the Bedouin society in the Negev through education, transportation, infrastructure and more. "In order to reach 100 percent frustration, there is no escape from a comprehensive solution," concludes Col. Shoshan.
