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Massive diamond smuggling ring linked to Leviev operations in Israel

12 november 2018
Precious gems are believed to have been brought into Israel hidden in the luggage of a worker from one of Lev Leviev factory. The investigation found that the Israeli citizen who was living abroad entered Israel six years ago with diamonds concealed in his luggage says a report in Times of Israel.
According to the police, the worker then sold the diamonds without reporting the transactions to tax authorities. More arrests in Israel and abroad are expected, according to authorities.
The police have arrested six suspects on suspicion of involvement in a smuggling operation that brought hundreds of millions of shekels’ worth of diamonds into Israel hidden in suitcases. The suspects were questioned under caution on suspicion of diamond smuggling, money laundering, tax offences and conspiracy to commit a crime, filing false business reports and other offences.
In a statement, Leviev’s company LLD Diamonds said it had no information about the arrests. “The company knows nothing of the events reported in the media,” the statement said. “Mr Leviev and the companies he owns operate according to the appropriate norms, and in compliance with the law. We hope that the matter will quickly be clarified and that the suspicions will turn out to be baseless.”
Lev Leviev is a Russian-Israeli businessman, philanthropist and investor currently abroad and it was not clear if he will be called in for questioning. Known as a real estate tycoon in Israel, Leviev has been involved in Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank.

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished