The Israel Police arrested this morning, after a clandestine investigation, in suspects who were members of a smuggling network who smuggled 8,000 trays of eggs from the Palestinian Authority Territories in Judea and Samaria to Israel.

The investigation, which was conducted in cooperation with the Plant and Wildlife Control Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Tax Authority, uncovered suspicions of a long list of offenses, including bribery, offenses of a malicious act that may cause spread of disease, tax offenses and violations of the Money Laundering Prohibition Law. The investigation revealed the suspicion that the network involved managers, transporters, distributors, drivers and security guards at the crossings between Palestinian Authority Territories to Israel.

The goods were suspected to have been smuggled to Israel, with some eggs bearing forged stamps and some being sold to markets throughout Israel as white eggs. The investigation raised suspicion that the eggs were kept under improper conditions, without refrigeration, until their sale.

The investigation was opened after the Egg and Poultry Board pressed a complaint over the phenomenon of egg smuggling from the Palestinian Authority Territories in Judea and Samaria to Israeli distributors and from there to marketing chains and markets. The suspects will be brought during the day for a remand hearing at the Magistrates’ Court in Rishon le Zion.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development prohibits the marketing of eggs that originate from outside Israel, because this product is sensitive and has an effect over health when an appropriate temperature is not maintained.

The Ministry of Agriculture asks the public to make sure to buy eggs at recognized, orderly sales outlets only, at a storage temperature that does not exceed 20 degrees. In addition, the eggs must be inspected for an expiry date and the name of the egg sorting center.

The sorting center’s identity stamped on the eggs can be verified by calling the Egg and Poultry Board, telephone number: 03-6083271.