More than 20 Israeli citizens have been investigated on suspicion of developing, manufacturing and trafficking in advanced weaponry with a foreign state, as well as money laundering and other economic offenses.
The investigation by the Israeli Security Agency, known as the Shin Bet, and the Israel Police, found that the suspects were engaged in illegally developing, manufacturing, testing and selling armed cruise missiles for an Asian country, the Shin Bet and Israel Police said Thursday in a joint statement. The country was not named, nor were the suspects; those details are under a gag order.
The suspects “received instructions from elements associated with the same foreign country in exchange for payment of considerable funds as well as other benefits,” the statement said. It also said that the contacts between the suspects and representatives of the Asian country were held in secret in order to conceal the destination of the missiles.