ISRAELIS NABBED IN HUGE HAMBURG ECSTASY BUST

TEL AVIV - German police on Tuesday arrested two Israelis unloading a
truck that contained 1.5 million Ecstasy pills, capping a long drug
investigation by German, Dutch, Australian, and Israeli police into
international Ecstasy trafficking by Israelis.

Police said the infiltration of the drug ring represents the largest and
most sweeping action in recent history against international Ecstasy
trafficking, in which Israelis are known to be deeply involved.

German detectives encountered the suspects unloading a truck with Dutch
license plates near Hamburg Port. A search turned up the pills hidden in
containers of artificial flowers.

The two Israeli suspects, Uzi Gutman, 55, from Elkana, and Yosef
Raphaelovitz, 41, from Jerusalem, were arrested, in addition to their Dutch
driver.

At the same time, Australian police arrested Elyakim Ya'acov al- Sheikh,
37, believed to be a major force in international drug trafficking.

Sheikh, a former Kiryat Bialik resident, was convicted of drug violations
in France and sentenced to 12 years in prison, and was released three years
ago. He is married to a Dutch citizen, and resides in Holland, from where
it is suspected he headquarters his activities in the Ecstasy trade,
exporting to other countries in Western Europe, as well as the US and
Australia.

According to police, Rafaelowitz and Gutman flew to Switzerland early
Tuesday morning and continued to Germany. Their journey was tracked by
international police forces, and they were followed until they were caught
with the drugs in Hamburg. It is believed that the ultimate destination for
the pills was Sheikh in Australia.

In Holland, Dror Pachima, 24, of Ashdod was arrested as another suspected
member of the group involved in the deal. Pachima is a fugitive, having
fled Israel 1999 when he was sought for police questioning.

Arrests of suspected Ecstasy ring members took place in Israel as well.
Yesterday, Tel Aviv detectives arrested Ronen Krosenoverski, 37, of Bat
Yam, Yitzhak Tamir, 33, of Netanya, Menachem Mendel Cohen, 41, of
Jerusalem, Gregory Gabrielov, 27, of Bat Yam, and Zvi Fogel, 47, of Tel
Aviv. The five men are suspected of planning drug trafficking and money
laundering activities. Last night they were brought to court for an
extension of their remand.