Hamas steps up the war on drugs in the Gaza Strip. Recently, the police and security forces in Gaza conduct frequent operations to seize drugs, and work to arrest dealers and distributors. Hamas does not want to let the phenomenon flourish for fear that this will threaten the social fabric and destabilize, and they are advancing a remedy for the blow.
According to reports, the volume of drug trafficking in Gaza is about 2.5 million dollars a year.
The activity includes placing sudden roadblocks on the roads of the Gaza Strip, searches, scans and entering houses in an attempt to reduce the scope of the phenomenon.
Three days ago, the "narcotics unit" of the Hamas police seized 70 pallets of hashish and 10,000 ecstasy pills in a house in Rafah.
Last month, an underground hiding place from which drug dealers operated was revealed.
In another incident, two "dangerous traders" were killed after an exchange of fire.
"Until now, there was a kind of unwritten agreement between the authorities and the dealers regarding the quantities of drugs distributed and the prices in the market," they say in Gaza.
"There were some in Hamas who made profits for themselves, but recently some of the merchants went beyond the understandings and started increasing quantities and setting prices on their own."
They seized 70 hashish pallets and 10,000 ecstasy pills in a house in Rafah.
Hamas police in Gaza (archive), photo: Ai.
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At the same time as the operational measures in the field, the legal and judicial authorities in Gaza decided about a month ago to make the punishment for drug trafficking worse, up to life imprisonment and even the death penalty.
"There is a black market for drugs, but it is about individuals, not the mafia," said the Gaza resident.
"Those who have money use, and those who don't - find a way to get the drug. People want to escape from reality and have fun. Alcohol is not allowed, there is no work, so a person who feels he can't live - will take the drug to forget about everything."
Most of the drugs are smuggled from outside, mainly from Egypt, through the Rafah crossing, sometimes under the guise of goods.
"It can be inside clothes, cans and cosmetic accessories for women," said Alaa Alwadia, a senior director of the Gaza Drug Control Directorate.
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