For more than six months, an undercover police agent known as “Tequila” operated inside serious criminal networks, meeting gun and drug dealers, gaining their trust and carrying out a series of transactions that were documented and later used as evidence.
The agent, an Arab who chose to cross the lines and work with the police, was operated by the Jerusalem District Central Unit against targets identified in advance on suspicion of trafficking weapons, drugs and counterfeit money. The operation was aimed at disrupting supply chains and preventing firearms from reaching criminal groups and terror operatives.
What weapons did undercover agent “Tequila” buy in Jerusalem?
During the operation, the agent purchased 12 handguns, three M-16 rifles and an Uzi submachine gun. He also bought large quantities of ecstasy and dozens of counterfeit banknotes that, according to police, were intended for distribution, with a particular focus on the Jerusalem area.
The agent was closely accompanied by his handlers throughout the operation, with assistance from the Israel Police aerial unit. For months, he continued dealing with the same criminal circles until investigators had gathered enough evidence to move from the covert phase to the arrest operation.
How did the operation lead to the arrest of 24 suspects?
Once the covert phase was completed, large forces raided the homes of 24 suspects in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The operation involved Jerusalem District officers, detectives from the Central Unit, police tactical forces, Border Police officers, undercover Border Police units operating in the West Bank and IDF troops from the Etzion and Binyamin brigades.
The suspects were taken for questioning after, according to police, they had been incriminated during the agent’s operation.
Jerusalem District Police said that “the operation and exposure of the agent are nothing less than an earthquake in the local criminal underworld in East Jerusalem,” adding that his infiltration into weapons-trafficking networks was intended to strike at the supply lines sustaining serious crime.
This week, after the wave of arrests was completed, the agent was officially exposed by the Jerusalem District Police and the weapons purchased during the operation were displayed. Police say the operation is part of an ongoing campaign against serious crime and illegal weapons trafficking, with a particular focus on East Jerusalem.
