Full Breakdown
Massive Weapons and Drug Cache Seized from Abu Latif Crime Group in Galilee
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The Seizure Operation
Police and security forces conducted a multi-agency raid in an open area near the village of Rama (also reported as Rameh) in the Galilee over the weekend. Intelligence pinpointed the site as a central hideout used by the Abu Latif crime organization. Dozens of officers from the Central Unit (YAMAR) of the Northern District, Border Police fighters and the National Guard searched the complex terrain for several hours before uncovering the cache. The seizure included firearms, ammunition, explosive devices, tactical vests, a vehicle with forged plates and a quantity of narcotics suspected to be cocaine. No arrests were reported at the time of the discovery, and the items were transferred to Israel Police forensic and explosives laboratories for further analysis.
Background on the Abu Latif Organization
The Abu Latif crime organization, founded in the local council of Rama, has become one of the primary targets of Israeli law-enforcement in recent years. Its activities have expanded beyond northern Israel and have been linked to murder, extortion, protection-money schemes and attempts to control public-tender projects. In April 2025 an indictment was filed against the group’s leader, Latif Abu Latif, and eleven associates for extorting contractors to win high-budget infrastructure contracts. Members were also connected to the March 2024 murder of Fatin Kizel in Maghar, a case investigators believe was intended to intimidate the mayor-elect.
Quantitative Details of the Cache
- Firearms: eight rifles (including M16s and Kalashnikovs), four handguns, and a shotgun.
- Ammunition: dozens of magazines and hundreds of rounds, plus spare weapon parts.
- Explosives: standard IDF-type explosive device, explosive bricks, and dozens of remote-triggering systems.
- Protective Gear: tactical vests with ceramic plate armor.
- Vehicle: one automobile fitted with forged license plates.
- Narcotics: over three kilograms of a substance suspected to be cocaine.
- Estimated Value: the combined worth of weapons, explosives and drugs runs into millions of shekels.
Official Responses
Superintendent Shlomi Asraf, head of the detective branch in YAMAR North, described the seizure as delivering a “severe moral and financial blow” to the organization’s infrastructure. A police spokesperson’s unit confirmed that the seized items will be examined in forensic labs to aid in identifying individuals involved in hiding the weapons, explosives and drugs.
Implications for Law Enforcement and Regional Security
Authorities view the operation as a significant disruption of the Abu Latif group’s capacity to arm its members and finance criminal activities. By removing a large stockpile of weapons and explosives, the raid is expected to hinder the organization’s ability to threaten contractors, influence public tenders and carry out violent intimidation, including the murder linked to the 2024 Maghar case. The ongoing investigations and forensic analysis may lead to future arrests and further indictments, reinforcing law-enforcement’s broader campaign against organized crime in the Galilee region.