Middle East News
Four Egyptian police officers suspended for smuggling
May 26, 2009, 8:06 GMT
Cairo - Four senior Egyptian police officers have been suspended for allegedly taking bribes in exchange for allowing smuggling from the Rafah border into the Gaza Strip, a security source said Tuesday.
The officers were being questioned about claims that they were demanding large sums of money from people using the tunnels to smuggle goods into the Palestinian enclave, the source said.
Smugglers said the level of corruption among officers increased recently after Egypt began clamping down on smuggling along the border.
Gaza residents have relied heavily on goods smuggled in via Rafah, including food, electrical goods, car parts and fuel, since Israel imposed a blockade of the strip when it came under the control of the Hamas movement in 2007.
Israel has often criticised Egypt for failing to do enough to curb the smuggling of goods and weapons via the tunnels.
On Thursday, Egyptian police found and destroyed two tunnels into the territory, they said.
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