14 suspects were arrested, including a deputy mayor from a northern municipality, alongside major crime organizers, on suspicion of corruption, bribery, and other offenses, Israeli police announced on Tuesday.
The raid, which stemmed from an ongoing year-long investigation led by the National Economic Crime Unit within Lahav 433, in cooperation with the Tax Authority, resulted in the seizure of luxury vehicles, a yacht, and real estate holdings, among other assets worth millions of shekels.
Approximately 20 targets in total were raided in northern Israel by Lahav 433, the Tax Authority, Border Police, and fighters from Gideonim 33.
The arrested individuals are suspected of involvement in serious public corruption offenses, including bribery, fraud, breach of trust, bid rigging, money laundering, and tax offenses.
According to the Police Spokesperson’s Unit, the findings of the investigation “raise grave suspicions of a systematic and ongoing infiltration of criminal elements into the municipality’s decision-making processes, established through illicit ties with senior officials.”
Chief of Police Daniel Levi at the scene of a shooting incident in Ramla, central Israel, May 11, 2026. (credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)
These illicit ties allegedly enabled criminals to seize control of key power centers within the community, notably the Tenders Committee and the Planning and Building Committee.
The complex investigation revealed that criminals conspired with contractors and senior municipal employees to advance mutual interests by rigging tenders, which decide which private companies get hired to do public work, through bribery and other illicit benefits. The criminals forced other contractors out of municipal tenders, and senior municipal employees worked to ensure that criminal entities won the tenders and received expanded building rights.
According to the report, insider information was leaked by officials to criminal elements before it was made available to the general public. Municipal operations were thus seized by the criminals, who pocketed millions through this method.
The Nahariya Municipality announced, “Following media reports, the ongoing investigation deals with a connection to our municipality.”
Suspects will be brought to the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court for deliberations regarding the extension of their detention. Meanwhile, further arrests are expected.
In the report, the Israel Police emphasizes: “We will continue to act with determination and zero tolerance against public corruption and the nexus of wealth, power, and crime, in order to safeguard the rule of law and maintain public trust.”