Israeli Police Uncover Organized Crime Takeover of Courier and Delivery Sector
Israeli police investigate organized crime infiltration into the delivery sector, arresting figures like Shay Bnamu and Eyal Nagar in connection with extortion and takeover attempts.
Organized crime groups in Israel are constantly searching for new investment avenues to generate quick profits, ranging from gambling and bottle recycling to forex in the past. Now, a new police investigation sheds light on a particularly lucrative and fascinating market attracting criminals: the delivery industry.
The 'Courier Relay' Operation
At the center of a new case dubbed "Courier Relay" is Shay Bnamu, classified as an intelligence target by the Lachish Central Unit (YARAM). Bnamu and his brother Michael have been in detention for 50 days on suspicion of involvement in an attempted takeover of the delivery system in Kiryat Gat.
According to the suspicion, the two extorted other couriers in the city to push them out of the industry and prevent competition. Simultaneously, in a separate case with an identical modus operandi investigated in Ashdod, crime syndicate boss Eyal Nagar was also arrested along with another suspect.
"There is prima facie evidence that Shay Bnamu and his associates managed a delivery network in Kiryat Gat and wanted to take over the industry, which turns over millions of shekels a year," noted a source familiar with the investigation. "There was an instruction or order by his men to harm competitors."
Police Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Bnamu is no stranger to the police. In recent years, he has been arrested in several serious cases, though they did not mature into indictments. He was previously considered an associate of crime boss Shalom Domrani, but the two have since become rivals.
Given the severity of the suspicions, the detention of Bnamu, his brother, and two associates was extended with special approval from the Attorney General, as the 30-day limit for holding a suspect without an indictment had passed. Meanwhile, Bnamu's defense attorney, Adv. Einav Yitzhakh, strongly denies the allegations.
Police estimate that there is currently sufficient evidentiary infrastructure to file indictments against Bnamu and the other suspects, while the investigative team awaits final completions requested by the Southern District Prosecutor's Office.
