First publication: The numbers behind the war on smuggling in the south revealed

Behind the operational activity on the southern borders lies a daily, around-the-clock war against smuggling. Data obtained by Channel 14 News shows that since January 2026, IDF soldiers have thwarted significant smuggling attempts.

Main smuggling highlights

Among other things, the smuggling of approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine and about 700 kilograms of hashish was thwarted. In addition, over 230 drones of various sizes used for smuggling attempts were intercepted.

In the field of weaponry, over 109 items were seized, including 74 long guns and 35 handguns. As part of these operations, 40 suspects attempting to smuggle weapons, drugs, and other equipment across the southern borders were arrested.

These figures illustrate the scale of smuggling attempts and the ongoing activity of security forces to thwart them, yet they represent only the tip of the iceberg. The security establishment emphasizes that despite these significant efforts, the borders are not hermetically sealed and quite a few breaches occur.