An alleged crime boss was arrested overnight Saturday-Sunday, along with 32 other suspects, on suspicion of dealing weapons and drugs, in a coiuntrywide sweep that capped a year-long undercover operation.
In a massive operation involving over 250 cops and special forces, Michael Mor was detained along with dozens of alleged members of his crime gang.
In searches following the arrests, police seized 13 weapons, NIS 200,000 ($56,000) in cash, and vehicles and drugs,including cocaine and marijuana, police said.
Mor was arrested at his home in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, but he is suspected of heading a crime gang based in the northern city of Nahariya, which police think had recently spread to other areas in the north including Acre, Migdal Haemek and parts of Haifa.
On Sunday evening, the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court ordered him kept in custody until September 12.
Police released a video of the overnight arrests.
“הפעילות הזו היא חלק ממאבק בלתי מתפשר בתופעה של סחר באמל”ח ובסמים” – דובר מחוז צפון מספר על הפעלת הסוכן הסמוי, שהביא למעצרם של 33 עבריינים pic.twitter.com/0RjVC8lkPV
— משטרת ישראל (@IL_police) September 3, 2017
The arrests follow a year-long undercover operation by an agent code-named “The Shark” who gathered evidence against the detainees. Police said that more arrests are expected.
A week ago Channel 10 news reported that an explosive device had been left outside the home of a known criminal in the north of the country.
Police were able to safely disarm the bomb and said they suspected it was part of a turf war between two rival gangs.
Three months ago Mor was arrested on suspicion of being behind the murder of a member of a rival gang. A motor scooter registered to Mor was found at the scene of the shooting.
Mor’s lawyers at that time said the charges were false, and that Mor had been at home at the time the killing took place.
