An attempt to smuggle 150,000 capsules of a male sexual performance-enhancing drug was foiled by Israeli customs agents, inspectors at Israel's Ashdod seaport and investigators from the Tel Aviv Customs and VAT Investigation Department at the Israeli Tax Authority revealed this week.
The drug is believed to be Kamagra, a substance that is not approved by the Israeli Health Ministry.
The capsules were hidden in sealed plastic barrels which were, in turn, hidden inside a total of 80 larger barrels used to import pickles.
Pickes on the outside, drugs on the inside
The importers claimed that the barrels only contained pickles when they arrived at the customs checkpoint in Ashdod. Once the inspection revealed their full contents, security forces arrested the individual responsible for importing them, Snir Chari Borchis from Hod Hasharon, and Tel Aviv Customs and VAT investigators continued their investigation into the incident.
Later, the importer was brought before a judge in the magistrate's court in Rishon Lezion and released from custody under restricted conditions.
The drugs in question are considered a danger to the public, as they are not approved by the Ministry of Health. According to one estimate, the total value of the attempted illegal import was about NIS 3m.