Multi-Million Cigarette Smuggling Thwarted, Two Azerbaijanis Arrested
Authorities intercepted a speedboat smuggling an estimated 12 million shekels in cigarettes off the Ashdod coast, arresting two Azerbaijani nationals.
Jerusalem, 1 June, 2026 (TPS-IL) — An attempt to smuggle cartons of cigarettes worth an estimated seven million Shekels ($2.4 million) was foiled when police, together with the Ashdod Customs Inspector and detectives from the Ashdod station, carried out a “proactive operational activity” in the past 24 hours following information from Customs regarding a suspected gang of smugglers making their way to the Ashdod coast by speedboat.
The suspects, who apparently noticed the Marine police, threw cigarette boxes into the sea in an attempt to hide evidence and quickly fled to shore. The goods that were thrown into the water were located and seized.
The forces continued their operational activity yesterday, during which the ship suspected of smuggling was located. During the operation and takeover of the ship, additional seized cigarettes, with an estimated total value of approximately five million Shekels ($1.754 million), were thrown into the sea.
At the end of the operation, two members of the ship’s crew, the captain and the first officer, foreign residents from Azerbaijan, were arrested.
