COGAT Stops Gaza Cigarette Smuggling Hidden in Pineapples

COGAT and the Defense Ministry said Land Crossings Authority inspectors at the Lachish crossing stopped a Gaza-bound shipment after finding thousands of illegal cigarettes hidden inside hundreds of pineapples. The cargo was being moved by an Israeli company approved for the private-sector humanitarian aid mechanism and was headed toward Kerem Shalom before entering Gaza. The truck and cargo were transferred to customs and other authorities, and COGAT chief Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevy suspended the company's aid-delivery authorization until further notice. COGAT said it will keep acting with zero tolerance against attempts to smuggle goods or exploit the humanitarian-aid mechanism.