Israel Police discovered around $400,000 in a car on Highway 40 last week, while conducting an ongoing crackdown against violent and financial crime in Israel, the police announced.
According to the police, the driver of the vehicle, a man from Rahat, was arrested under suspicion of money laundering and tax offenses, and the money was confiscated.
In a separate raid conducted by Rahat police and Border Police forces, four other suspects were arrested for questioning, and two pistols and ammunition were discovered and confiscated.
Last month, eleven suspects were arrested in a coordinated operation targeting an alleged protection racket that extorted contractors at construction sites in Rishon LeZion, including the national Shafdan Wastewater Treatment Plant project, Israel Police confirmed.
Police said the monthly fees ranged between NIS 8,000 and NIS 10,000 per site. Contractors who refused to pay reportedly experienced theft of heavy machinery and damage to equipment, reinforcing the scheme’s coercive nature.
Shir Perets contributed to this report.
