Aliya and Samah Abedin, a couple from East Jerusalem, were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport on suspicion of trying to smuggle gold ounces weighing 2.630 kilograms and gold jewelry weighing 921 grams from Dubai to Israel.
The suspects were caught after customs inspectors in the passenger hall on the green route detained the woman for a baggage check, and found many ounces of gold on her body as well as valuable jewelry. Her husband, who had already left the passenger hall, was called by the customs inspectors in the passenger hall at the airport to retrace his steps, and he is also suspected of being involved in the alleged smuggling attempt.
The suspects were brought in for questioning at the Jerusalem Customs and VAT Investigation Unit, from the investigation material collected in the case so far it appears that there is evidence linking the suspects to smuggling, also from the information produced it appears that the couple flew to Dubai many times in the past year, which strengthens the suspicion of systematic gold smuggling.
The two were brought before a Magistrate's Court judge who released them under restrictive conditions. The investigation continues.