Prison Smuggling Ring Uncovered; Sent Cellphones to High Security Inmates

Jerusalem, 1 October, 2017 (TPS) -- Israeli Police and Israel Prison Service investigators have busted a smuggling ring suspected of smuggling mobile phones to security prisoners in maximum-security Israeli prisons.

The secret investigation began in August when Prison Service officials discovered five cellphones and dozens of Sim cards in a shipment to the commissary at Ofer Prison. A few days later, another batch of cellphones was discovered, this time in a crate headed for Ramon prison. Police believe the cellphones were destined for prisoners convicted of terror activity and meant to help inmates oversee terror activities in Israel.

The investigation uncovered a vast network, including employees of the company that provides commissary services to Israel’s prisons. Police found that suspects were strategically placed in the company and were paid between NIS 8,000 for a regular mobile phone and NIS 15,000 for every smartphone they managed to smuggle inside.

The suspects were named as Ziad Shanti (39) of the Palestinian village Nebi Elias, Ali Turki (22) from Rishon LeZion, Yaakov Yuvergimov (25) of Bat-Yam, Richard Psechnik (23) from Rosh Haayin, and another 20 year old suspect from Rishon LeZion, whose name has not been made public.