NEW YORK (VINnews) — Two brothers, Israeli yeshiva students, travelled from Israel to France with khat leaves which they had smuggled out of the country. The two were persuaded to take them by purveyors who assured them that there was no legal problem with the consignment. However French authorities arrested them and placed them in jail.
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The father, who has hired a lawyer to try and negotiate their release, spoke in tears with insurance agent Yonatan Levy and asked him to publicize his words, stating that “my world has been ruined, as well as that of my wife. Two of our sons were lured into travelling to France with khat leaves. They are both in jail, this is not an easy story. I entreat you to publish this.”
The state of Israel does not consider khat leaves a prohibited drug but other countries proscribe its use.
Many smugglers attempt to use yeshiva students to smuggle khat into other countries, claiming that they will not be arrested if they have citizenship in those countries. They claime that even if the student will be caught, he will be returned to his country but will not receive any further sanction. The smugglers promise large sums of money as well as tickets to the yeshiva students, who do not realize the severity of their actions.
There should be a sign in the airport at every check-in warning these foolhardy numbskulls that smuggling khat into Europe is a criminal offense and you will be arrested! Enough of these tear jerkingstories of young, naive frum ppl becoming drug smugglers. As for the father who is crying now, where was he before the boys left for France?
After the incident several years ago with the bochrim in Japan, everyone should be aware of this issue. If someone wants you to take a package somewhere and is making an overly generous offer, then most likely something illegal is involved. Even without any payment don’t take something if you don’t know what it is and without checking out the legality yourself. This is even with a person you that you think you know and can trust. If there is the slightest possibility of illegality DON’T DO IT. The trouble you will have will be much worse than you would expect. We must also avoid the chillum Hashem involved. There have been too many news stories like this. Parents have to explian it to their kids, and it has to be explained in yeshivos and seminaries. One case is too many.
2030 yeshiva schedule
800-900 shiur on identifying red flag signs of an abuser
9:00-10:00 shiur on not taking other people’s things in your suitcase
10:00-11:00 shiur on vaping and alcohol make you die young
12:00-1:00 Q&A and counseling on all the above
First seder and Eiyun cancelled
Rest of day same as 2021
And how much did they make for this trip
Sorry tired of hearing they didn’t know
Some years ago – As a bochur in shidduchim, I was flying into New York. Someone in shul asked me to take some urgent medication which would get picked up from wherever I was. I dont recall now if I even knew that person. I checked the bottle, labels etc all seemed to make sense, no red flags. I got to New York and the package was picked up from me by a very thankful recipient.
But looking back now, I could have been a mule; even if it was the correct medication, it could have been illegal in New York, nevermind if it had been replaced with some other illegal substance. I dont think my parents even knew I took it.
You cant blame the parents. You cant blame the kids. You can only educate and make everyone aware of the issues. One way would be for an extra checkpoint leaving Israel with clear signs in all languages – including yiddish & english with images of what is illegal in other countries (even if legal in Israel).
They also promise that the tzibbur will raise millions or hundeds of thousands to help them. The crowdfunding page will be advertised aggressively in tomorrows news. We are better off supporting a campaign to prevent our youth from falling trap. Perhaps a charismatic Chareidi at BenGurion publicizing the truth and risks and consequences etc.
They still haven’t learnt after all their other friends or not friends got arrested.
Don’t really care if they got arrested for negligent smuggling but now they will make a campaign to pay for their legal fees with all kind of excuses. all they are doing is wasting Zedakah money that should be goingto genuine causes not to money hungry illegal smuggling people.
The smugglers who convinced the yeshivah students to smuggle the khat, should be shot, the two yeshivah students should be slapped around for their stupidity !!!
Always the victims. Greed, money, is what drove them to smuggle drugs.
Aren’t Yeshiva students supposed to be learning in Yeshiva? Surely, if they were confident that their actions were legit, wouldn’t they have told their parents, who in turn, would have warned them? We this in the news every so often, only to have a Chesed Fund campaign setup for them….
Maybe we should consider that something is lacking in the system and their education if these incidents keep happening. Either the kids are too trusting or they are swayed by the money and benefits since the future earnings potential in general might not look great.
If after all the problems these “packages” have caused, and these guys still take them. Then Sit in jail foe a few years, not for what they did but for their stupidity or greed
Really, how hard would it be to teach Yeshivah boys and girls not to do this. They know every Rashi in the Chumash but are not told to not take anything overseas for anybody.
parents just let yeshiva bochrim fly off to france????
Are you really trying to tell us they didn’t know what they were doing. Better still how much were they paid besides a free trip sorry tired of hearing same old sing
Unbelievable. Here we go again. Where have we heard stories like this before? And we’ll continue to hear these same stories over again. SMH.
We have people going around preaching and singing “Every Yid’s a Big Tzadik”.
And you wonder why such things happen?
Parents need to be on top of thier kids. Of course these are sad stories but i blame parents too.
Where is Moishe Margaretten from the Zedek organization who just raised loads of dough in a fundraiser? Seem like a growth industry among Hasidim.
Fed up with this sort of story. The Talmud clearly states that Jews should obey laws in other countries.
zehr shein
As a rule I never take packages with me in my trips abroad. I don’t tell people I’m flying otherwise they would bombard me with their packages. It’s only your immediate family that you tell and even then tell them not to tell anyone else. Today’s day in age you can’t even carry people’s cash. You never know if it’s counterfeit. I remember the story with a cake being shipped to Canada. Inside the cake was loaded with drugs.
It’s time to leave some korbonos behind in jail or prison or whatever you want to call it.
Maybe the message will get out.
P.S. If somebody needs these leaves so badly, let them live where it’s legal.
Just tell them to send it with UPS or DHL if it’s so kosher and it’s much cheaper than paying for tickets.
The Rabbonim need to put Askanim in the airport to warn people that it’s illegal and the consequences etc