Israel Police Say Dozens Arrested in Contractor Protection-Racket Raids
Published
Israel Police arrested dozens of suspects in raids across Israel early Monday, November 9, in an investigation into alleged protection-money demands targeting building contractors. Police said approximately 500 officers, Border Police personnel and special units took part in the operation. A local council head in northern Israel was among those arrested. According to police suspicions, criminal groups compelled contractors to pay tens of thousands of shekels for each construction site, presenting the payments as charges for security services. Investigators suspect that those services were fictitious and that the people demanding payment were also behind threats to the properties. Police said they would continue targeting criminal organizations, extortion schemes and the financial infrastructure supporting them. The raids followed an undercover investigation lasting about ten months. The Coastal District's Central Unit and Lahav 433's protection-racket unit led the inquiry, which police called Shadow Guardians. Suspects were taken to the two units' offices for questioning. Police planned to bring them before the Haifa Magistrate's Court later Monday to request extensions of their detention.