According to police, the reputation the agent had built in the criminal underworld allowed him to gain the trust of dealers and carry out dozens of controlled drug transactions.
Police arrested 28 suspected drug traffickers in raids across Israel early Wednesday following a 10-month undercover operation in which a known criminal recruited as an agent helped gather evidence against dozens of suspects involved in supplying drugs to Jerusalem.
The agent, a known criminal who had spent years building connections in the underworld, was recruited by the Jerusalem District Police's Central Unit (YAMAR) and helped establish an evidentiary basis against dozens of suspects involved in drug trafficking.
The operation was designed to reach dealers behind the drug supply chains operating in Jerusalem. According to police, the reputation the agent had built in the criminal underworld allowed him to gain the trust of dealers and carry out dozens of controlled drug transactions under the direction of YAMAR's undercover agents division.
During the operation, the agent purchased commercial quantities of cocaine, ecstasy, and other drugs, with a total value of hundreds of thousands of shekels. The transactions were conducted under the supervision of the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office, and the evidence gathered was used to build cases against the suspects.
When the investigation entered its overt phase, officers from the Jerusalem District and other police districts, along with Border Police officers, National Guard personnel, and the canine unit, launched the arrest operation.
During searches, police seized more than NIS 100,000 in cash, drugs, and 12 vehicles suspected of having been used to transport drugs and carry out transactions. Police intend to seek the forfeiture of the vehicles as part of the subsequent legal proceedings.
Operation aimed to undermine trust among criminals, police say
At a ceremony on Wednesday marking the agent's public unveiling, Jerusalem District Police Commander Maj.-Gen. Avshalom Peled said the operation was intended not only to target drug suppliers but also to undermine trust among criminals.
"We can certainly say this morning that we achieved the two main objectives we set for this operation. The first was to strike at the criminals operating the supply chains and bringing drugs into the capital, targeting those in their closest circles. The second was to undermine the trust between criminals and their ability to rely on one another, thereby making it harder for them to operate," Peled said.
He added, "No criminal involved in this field knows this morning whether the next deal will be the one that ends his criminal career and puts him behind bars."
The suspects are expected to be brought before a court later Wednesday for hearings on extending their detention. The investigation remains ongoing.