Police shut pirate fuel station in Arab village courtyard

The seized installation (Photo: Israel Police Spokesperson)

Officers from the Yiron police station uncovered a pirate fuel station operating in Ein as-Sahla, in a joint enforcement operation targeting safety violations and public hazards. During the operation, police located a fuel tank holding approximately 1,000 litres in the courtyard of a private home, operating without permits and posing an immediate danger to residents.

The operation was carried out in coordination with the Civil Guard infrastructure unit and Energy Ministry inspectors, as part of a broad campaign against illegal fuel and gas installations. According to the police spokesperson, the inspection of the private courtyard in Ein as-Sahla followed suspicions of an unlicensed refuelling operation on the premises.

Operating fuel facilities without a licence and in a pirate manner poses a real danger to life, and can lead to serious injury and death. Pirate fuel stations are typically operated in close proximity to residential buildings, without any required safety measures, endangering the lives of residents in the area.

In a parallel operation in Bartaa, authorities discovered a severe safety hazard at a local business. An atmospheric water heater had been installed inside a closed room and connected illegally to a gas canister, in violation of all safety protocols. Energy Ministry inspectors were forced to disconnect and dismantle the gas connections on site.

In recent years, police have carried out a number of similar raids on pirate fuel stations across the country. In 2018, three fuel stations were shut down in the village of Ein Mahel, where approximately 3,000 litres of fuel were pumped out and fines totalling 6,000 shekels were imposed. That same year, a pirate fuel station was also closed in Araba, where approximately 3,809 litres of fuel were confiscated and a fine of 9,000 shekels was imposed.

In 2022, police raided a fuel station in Deir al-Asad, where 223,000 shekels in cash were seized, approximately 7,000 litres of fuel were pumped out, and the structure's sheds were demolished. The joint operation included additional licensing and enforcement bodies: the Israel Land Authority, the Fuel Administration at the Energy Ministry, the Tax Authority, the Green Police, and environmental protection authorities.

The police spokesperson stated that "Israel Police will continue to act decisively and in cooperation with all enforcement agencies against hazards that endanger the public, and will enforce uncompromisingly for the safety of residents."