Section 13 of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance prohibits import, export, facilitation of import or export, trade, another transaction, and supply of a dangerous drug, unless lawfully permitted.
What is the import of a dangerous drug?
Section 13 of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance prohibits import, export, facilitation of import or export, trade, another transaction, and supply of a dangerous drug, unless lawfully permitted. Prohibited import may also take place through an official border crossing, for example in luggage or in a concealed shipment; the issue is bringing the drug into the country contrary to law, not the very use of an official crossing. Classification as a dangerous drug is examined according to the Schedule to the Ordinance and the legal provisions that apply to the substance at the relevant time.
There is no need to carry the drug on one's body in order to bear responsibility. At the same time, a distinction must be made between carrying out the import or facilitating it under the Ordinance and aiding or another form of participation; the charge and the possible punishment depend on the acts, awareness, and legal provisions, and are not automatically identical for everyone who was involved.
The penalty, 20 years of imprisonment
Section 19 of the Ordinance sets a penalty of up to 20 years of imprisonment, identical to the penalty for trafficking, export, and supply. Beyond that, the court may impose:
Fines of hundreds of thousands of shekels; forfeiture of money and property of the defendant, his immediate family members, and his children up to age 21; freezing of bank accounts; attachment of provident funds, advanced training funds, and savings; prohibition on selling apartments, businesses, and vehicles.
The financial consequences do not wait for a conviction; they begin at the investigation stage.
What happens when an investigation is opened?
A drug import investigation may also include detention proceedings, but continued detention does not automatically result from the title of the suspicion. The court examines the foundation required for the procedural stage, the grounds for detention, and the possibility of achieving the purpose of detention through restrictive conditions. A detention report may assist in examining the circumstances and the alternatives; the decision remains in the hands of the court. The involvement of several enforcement bodies requires an orderly examination of the evidence and coordination of the representation.
The hearing, an opportunity that must not be missed
Drug import is a felony offense, and therefore the defendant is entitled to a hearing before an indictment is filed. This is the only opportunity to meet the prosecutor, receive the evidentiary material, identify failures, and try to persuade them not to file an indictment, before the case reaches the District Court.
This is not a stage for compromises. This is the stage to attack the evidence forcefully: Was a direct connection between the defendant and the drug proven? Was the import proven beyond any doubt? Can it be shown that this was a good-faith order of a substance that was ostensibly legal? Sometimes the entire filing of the indictment depends on every question of this kind.
Ground for closure, a detail that changes everything
A case can be closed on three grounds: lack of evidence, lack of public interest, and lack of guilt. Only lack of guilt leads to complete deletion of the police record. The other closures leave a record accessible to government bodies, security bodies, employers, and others, a harm that can destroy a career, cancel a firearms license, and cause dismissal.
A request to change the ground for closure must be reasoned and based on the investigation material. Rejection of the request is not necessarily the end of the road: it is possible to examine a route for challenging the decision according to the authority that closed the case, the guidelines, and the circumstances. Early legal preparation helps choose the route and present the appropriate foundation.
Legal representation in drug import cases
Drug import cases are among the most complex, involving multiple investigative bodies, sprawling evidentiary material, parallel forfeiture proceedings, and the possibility of immediate arrest. There is no room here for pragmatism that starts from the center. The right approach is to fight from the very first moment: before the interrogation, during the interrogation, at the hearing, and in court.
Israel Arama, formerly of the Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office, represents suspects and defendants in serious drug offenses. Familiarity with the structure of these cases from the inside, how the evidence is built, where it is weak, and where it can be broken, is what determines outcomes. Contact us for an initial consultation without obligation. Every day that passes without representation is a day the prosecution is building a case against you.
What is the import of a dangerous drug?
Section 13 of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance prohibits import, export, facilitation of import or export, trade, another transaction, and supply of a dangerous drug, unless lawfully permitted. Prohibited import may also take place through an official border crossing, for example in luggage or in a concealed shipment; the issue is bringing the drug into the country contrary to law, not the mere use of an official crossing. Classification as a dangerous drug is examined according to the schedule to the Ordinance and the legal provisions applicable to the substance at the relevant time. There is no need to carry the drug on one's body in order to bear responsibility. At the same time, a distinction must be made between carrying out the import or facilitating it under the Ordinance and aiding or another form of complicity; the possible charge and punishment depend on the acts, awareness, and legal provisions, and are not automatically the same for everyone involved.
Section 19 of the Ordinance sets a penalty of up to 20 years' imprisonment, identical to the penalty for trafficking, export, and supply. Beyond that, the court may impose — what is important to know?
Fines of hundreds of thousands of shekels; forfeiture of money and property of the defendant, immediate family members, and children up to age 21; freezing of bank accounts; attachment of provident funds, advanced training funds, and savings; prohibition on the sale of apartments, businesses, and vehicles. The financial consequences do not wait for a conviction; they begin at the investigation stage.
The hearing, an opportunity that must not be missed — what is important to know?
Drug import is a felony offense, and therefore the defendant is entitled to a hearing before an indictment is filed. This is the only opportunity to meet the prosecutor, receive the evidentiary material, identify failures, and try to persuade them not to file an indictment, before the case reaches the District Court. This is not a stage for compromises. This is the stage to attack the evidence forcefully: Was a direct connection between the defendant and the drug proven? Was the import proven beyond any doubt? Can it be shown that this was a good-faith order of a substance that was allegedly legal? Sometimes the entire filing of the indictment depends on each question of this kind.
Ground for closure, the detail that changes everything — what is important to know?
A case may be closed on three grounds: lack of evidence, lack of public interest, and lack of guilt. Only lack of guilt leads to complete deletion of the police record. The other closures leave a record exposed to government bodies, security authorities, employers, and others, harm that can destroy a career, revoke a firearms license, and cause dismissal. A request to change the ground for closure must be reasoned and based on the investigation material. Rejection of the request is not necessarily the end of the road: it is possible to examine a route for challenging the decision according to the body that closed the case, the guidelines, and the circumstances. Early legal preparation helps choose the route and present the appropriate factual and legal foundation.
This information is for initial orientation about the service and contact process. It is not individual legal advice.
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