Israeli customs agents at the Allenby Bridge border crossing near Jericho on Sunday foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons and gold into the West Bank. Palestinian armed groups were reportedly the intended recipients of the smuggled items, which included 12 M16 assault rifles, 270 SIG Sauer pistols, 167 Glock pistols, and 100 kilograms of gold. The attempt was made by a member of the Jordanian parliament, Imad Al-Adwan, who would normally have immunity from searches at the border. However, the customs agents had received intelligence about a possible smuggling attempt and decided to carry out an inspection, resulting in the seizure of the smuggled goods. Al-Adwan is under arrest in Israel.
Smuggled weapons are inspected at Allenby Bridge, between Jordan and the West Bank, April 23, 2023. (Courtesy)