Through secret agents, in an international operation: A human trafficking network exposed in Israel

The police uncovered an international network for trafficking and pimping women in a secret international operation. Three suspects were arrested, and the investigation was conducted with global cooperation using undercover agents. The suspects made contact with women abroad and brought them to Israel for prostitution. The operation comes to light against the backdrop of a State Comptroller report that found the police failed in the fight against human trafficking.

The police announced this morning (Thursday) that they uncovered an international network for trafficking and pimping women in a secret operation that lasted months. Yesterday, three suspects were arrested: a resident of Be'er Sheva and his partner, and a resident of Eilat, suspected of involvement in an organized gang that trafficked humans for prostitution. The investigation was conducted with cooperation between units in Israel and abroad, using secret agents. According to the suspicion, gang members made contact with women in foreign countries and brought them to Israel for prostitution. The operation comes to light against the backdrop of a State Comptroller report published last month, which pointed to a failure in the fight against human trafficking. The report found that in 2022–2024, the police did not meet the targets they set for solving human trafficking cases. The report also sharply criticized the Population Authority, among other things for conditioning the return of a trafficking victim to Israel on unusual guarantees, providing limited visas to women who were supposed to testify (causing them to leave), and even sending inspectors to check if the victims had returned to prostitution. Israel has been ranked in the top tier of the US State Department's report on human trafficking since 2012, but in 2020 it dropped to the middle tier due to a reduction in investigations and indictments. The report indicated that Israel is at risk of dropping to the lowest tier, which carries extensive sanctions.