Israel Police Thwart Car-Smuggling Ring in Judea and Samaria Operation, Nine Arrested
Nine suspects were arrested and 19 stolen vehicles recovered by Israeli police in a week-long operation targeting car-smuggling rings in Judea and Samaria.
Jerusalem, 29 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — JERUSALEM — The Israeli police reported that they intercepted 19 stolen vehicles and arrested nine suspects During a week-long crackdown on vehicle smuggling networks across the Judea and Samaria District.
The targeted enforcement operation halted multiple illicit transfers into Palestinian Authority-controlled areas. Among those taken into custody was a 17-year-old resident of East Jerusalem, who attempted to ram past the Hashmonaim Checkpoint, located west of Jerusalem near Modiin, colliding with several vehicles before being detained by security forces.
Near the A-Za’im Checkpoint in Jerusalem, officers recovered another vehicle stolen from Jerusalem and returned it to its owner. Law enforcement authorities confirmed that heightened surveillance along major transit routes will continue to dismantle cross-regional vehicle theft syndicates.