Investigators Uncover Illegal Work Permit Scam

Early Sunday morning, undercover Israeli investigators, accompanied by IDF troops and Border Police, raided the homes of dozens of Arabs in Judea and Samaria suspected of operating a major ring that illegally procured Israeli permits for Palestinian Authority Arabs seeking to enter Israel for work or other purposes. Many of the Arabs were arrested, as were a number of Jewish employers in the agricultural sector, suspected of knowingly cooperating with the ring and hiring the illegal Arabs. Also arrested were two Israeli civil servants - one a senior official of the Population Registry, and another a longtime employee in the Interior Ministry – also stated to be involved in the scam. Altogether, 32 people were arrested Sunday, Israel Radio said.

According to investigators, the ring charged PA Arabs thousands of shekels for entry permits and fake Israeli work permits, providing illegal Arabs with transportation, as well as lodging, in Israel. The ring reportedly made millions of shekels a year off the scam. The ringleader, an Israeli, apparently would request a permit from the civil servants for a PA agricultural worker, founded on the number of available permits. The permit was issued, and cancelled a few days later by the ringleader – yet the cancelled permit, which had already been authorized, was not returned, police said – giving the ringleader an authentic document to sell, via a network of Arab agents in PA controlled cities and villages.

Check out - humorous, Entertaining Videos --