The Israeli police revealed Monday that a widescale undercover investigation into illegal trade of firearms uncovered many high-profile sellers, including a Palestinian security officer who sold his guns on condition it would be "used against Jews".
The police recruited a former criminal turned state agent for the "The Silver Bullet" operation to try and purchase improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and illegal arms from various sellers, mostly in the Arab community.
The transactions he pursued included IEDs, assault rifles, rifles, ammunition, and drugs.
On Monday morning, with the start of the overt part of the operation, hundreds of cops and Border Police officers conducted raids and searches nationwide. The forces have arrested over 30 suspects, including outlaws from the crime domains in the cities of Jaffa, Lod, Ramla, Haifa, Kafr Qasim, Barta'a, and Sajur.
The secret agent himself has an extensive criminal background, having served years in prison. He was identified as a potential agent for the operation and recruited as an intelligence man. He then went on to pursue dozens of trade deals involving arms, explosives, and drugs. He engaged in deals nationwide, while his focal point was Jaffa.
Amid an assault rifle deal in the north of Israel, the agent met a PA officer, who later on sold him an M-16 rifle, improvised submachine guns, and pistols, while ensuring they would be used to harm Jews.
In a ceremony at Tel Aviv District Police headquarters, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai commended the forces for their impressive work.
"After over a year of supreme police efforts we can say clearly - crime organizations in the Arab community took a hit they haven't experienced in years, and it will take them years to recover, if at all," Shabtai said.
"We declared a war on the illegal weapon trend. We declared a war on the shooting trend. We declared a war on the flow of undeclared capital. We declared a war on the criminals who hurt Israeli civilians," he added.
"In this war I can promise you all - we will win."