Israeli police and customs officers on Wednesday seized about 40 drones, including some fitted with dual-use technology for dropping explosives from the air, the Israel Police and the Israel Tax Authority said in a joint statement.
A 30-year-old resident of the Arab village of Daburiyya, near Nazareth, is suspected of selling drones that were smuggled into the country illegally, the statement said.
Authorities had run a covert investigation for several weeks after receiving indications that drones bought from the suspect had been used for crimes.
The seized drones had “various tactical capabilities,” according to the statement.
Customs officials from Ben-Gurion International Airport questioned the suspect over serious customs offenses and regulatory violations in communications and aviation. He was then handed to police for questioning on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime.
