The smell arrived before the story. Last Thursday afternoon, during routine activity at the A-Za’im checkpoint, located east of Jerusalem near the main entry route from Ma’ale Adumim, a commercial vehicle stopped for inspection did not initially appear unusual. But something in the air was different. A strong, sharp odor rose from the vehicle and immediately caught the attention of the officers on site. Within moments, a routine check turned into a serious suspicion – and the suspicion into an unusually large discovery.
When the trunk was opened, the method became clear. Cardboard boxes filled with towels were neatly stacked, seemingly designed to create a sense of ordinariness and divert attention. Beneath that everyday cover, however, were dozens of large sacks packed with a substance suspected to be drugs, with a total weight of hundreds of kilograms. What looked like an ordinary delivery vehicle was quickly revealed as part of a significant smuggling attempt.
How Did a Smell at the A-Za’im Checkpoint Lead to a Major Drug Seizure?
It was not advanced technology or prior intelligence that stopped the shipment, but the human sense of smell. The unusual odor prompted officers to move the vehicle to a thorough inspection lane and conduct a deeper search. Alertness, experience, and swift coordination between Border Police forces around Jerusalem, the crossings unit, and detectives from the Jerusalem District traffic investigation unit came together in a precise moment. The driver, a 68-year-old resident of Rishon LeZion, was arrested at the scene and taken for questioning.
Jerusalem District Police said: “The alertness of the forces, their professionalism, and the joint activity at the checkpoint led to the prevention of a significant drug smuggling attempt, as part of the ongoing effort to combat serious crime and protect public safety.”
The suspected drugs, divided into 48 large sacks, were transferred for laboratory testing, stopping the smuggling operation before it could continue on its route.
