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Several Israelis were arrested and charged with smuggling related charged after being caught smuggling gold in Hong Kong, according to court proceedings in Hong Kong.
Three young Israelis are in jail in Hong Kong, awaiting sentencing for allegedly trying to smuggle some 342 kilos or 754 pounds of gold from the China-controlled island. The total value of the gold topped $17 million.
Besides finding several barrels of gold, during the arrest of Yoav Chen, Omer Gavish, and Daniel Fadlon, police found four five-carat diamonds in their possession, according to a statement released by police in Hong Kong. While Chen and Fadlon pleaded guilty to the smuggling charges last week in hopes of reducing their sentences, Gavish pleaded not guilty.
Hearings in court ended last week, and now, all three are awaiting sentencing, which is expected to be announced in the next several weeks. The three are facing life imprisonment and possibly even the death penalty, although it is highly unlikely in this case.
Hong Kong has abolished the death penalty in 1993, but some cases, such as smugglers, are redirected to China, where the death penalty is still imposed.
Gavish also worked as a security guard in Hong Kong after completing his military service in Israel.
“This is a terrible blow to the Jewish community’s standing in China, as the Chinese authorities will now look unfavorably to all Israelis and Jews doing business in China. It is a shame that actions of the few cause harm to the entire community. Hopefully, the three will be extradited to Israel,” Rachel Reisz, 30, of Brooklyn, New York told YourJewishNews.com after being asked to comment on the arrest of the three Israelis in Hong Kong.
The three Israelis were arrested after local authorities became suspicious of their frequent trips to Hong Kong.
Some in the Hong Kong Jewish community speculated that the three Israelis were also involved in drug smuggling.
The Jewish community in Hong Kong is also concerned that a conviction will hurt local businesses of the Jewish community.
