Alert customs officials at the Rabin border crossing near Eilat foiled an attempt by Palestinian Authority smugglers to "import" weapons from Jordan in what appeared to be a shipment of footwear -- but it was only on Wednesday that the other shoe dropped.
Three weeks ago, a Jordanian supply truck reached the Rabin Crossing, ostensibly laden with a commercial shipment of clothing and six metal containers intended for delivery to a PA importer. The clothes were released by customs. However, the customs officials refused to release the metal containers until they received additional details, including their intended destination.
On Wednesday the importer announced that the containers were intended for producing shoe soles and he requested that they be returned to Jordan in case the containers would not be released from customs.
Although the preliminary investigation did not reveal anything smuggled, the customs agents insisted to continue to investigate. When the agents insisted to remove metal platforms, the driver claimed that the platforms were needed for his work. The officials’ suspicions were further raised when they noticed that a container was hollow.
Firefighters from Eilat arrived on Wednesday at the crossing and cut open a platform, which revealed a gun hidden in a towel. After the discovery, the firefighters proceeded to open the remaining platforms, exposing the weapons cache.
Included in the haul were 59 handguns, six M-16 assault rifles, 23 rifle magazines loaded with bullets, and several electric shockers. The incident is under investigation by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet).
Last week, customs authorities at the Rabin Crossing thwarted an attempt by felons to smuggle 5 kilograms of narcotics.
The Yitzchak Rabin Crossing, previously called the Arava Crossing, straddles the border between Israel and Jordan. The crossing is frequently used by Israeli citizens and tourists, as well as truckers, who transport goods between the two countries.