The Police Investigations Department (PID) lifted the publication ban surrounding the investigation into Lahav 433 Commander, Superintendent Meni Binyamin, on Wednesday, following the transition from a covert to an open inquiry. The Northern District Police Chief is overseeing the case and forms part of a wider investigation that has already led to the arrest of a former mayor, close associates, and senior figures in the criminal organization headed by Samir Bakri.

According to the PID, Binyamin is suspected of acting in a conflict of interest, including maintaining undisclosed personal contact with the former mayor during a sensitive investigation and allegedly sharing police information with him. When Binyamin learned that evidence had been collected against him, he allegedly attempted to pressure senior police officials in the north to transfer the investigation materials to another unit—one under his own command.

Binyamin is currently under restrictive release conditions, including a ban on contacting individuals involved in the case. The investigation remains ongoing.

Major Police Raids in Nazareth

The lifting of the publication ban came less than 24 hours after a major overnight operation in Nazareth. Hundreds of police officers and Border Police troops raided multiple compounds, arresting senior members of the Bakri criminal organization, along with businessmen and both current and former officials in the Nazareth municipality.

The arrests follow months of covert investigation in a case dubbed “The Money Maze.” Police say evidence has been gathered pointing to the systematic transfer of huge sums of public money to the criminal organization, severely undermining the city’s financial stability and harming residents’ quality of life.

According to police, the Bakri organization effectively took control of the municipality’s financial apparatus, creating a continuous mechanism for funneling funds and laundering money. The organization—one of the most powerful in northern Israel—is known for protection rackets, extortion, control over tenders, and involvement in a series of murders tied to territorial disputes with rival crime groups.

A Violent Feud Behind Many of the North’s Murders

The Bakri organization, centered in Nazareth, has been embroiled for years in a bitter conflict with the Hariri crime family of Umm al-Fahm. Once allies, the two groups split and became rivals, battling for dominance in protection-fee territories.

This rivalry has produced numerous murders, including the killings of uninvolved family members caught in the crossfire, contributing to the escalating violence in the region.

Escalating Scrutiny on Lahav 433 Commander

Superintendent Binyamin was first summoned last month for questioning under suspicion of breach of trust and abuse of office. He was released after hours of questioning, under conditions that included a nine-day ban from police stations. Investigators suspect he intervened in a case where he had an undisclosed conflict of interest and attempted to influence its handling within his unit.

Binyamin was subsequently called in for two additional questioning sessions, one of them after returning to duty from voluntary leave, as authorized by Police Commissioner Danny Levy. At one point, Binyamin refused to sign the restrictive release conditions and was detained until he agreed to comply.

Attorney and PID Clash

Binyamin’s attorney, Adv. Uri Korve, sharply criticized the PID, accusing investigators of unlawful detention and even claiming that a PID investigator physically assaulted Binyamin during a consultation.

The PID categorically rejected the accusations, calling them baseless and a distortion of the facts.
“No violent incident occurred,” the department said in a statement. “Superintendent Binyamin received all required conditions during the investigation, including multiple consultations with his attorney. The delay stemmed solely from his refusal to sign the release terms.”

Investigation Continues

With the publication ban lifted and the investigation now public, the case poses significant implications for both Israel’s top anti-corruption unit and the broader fight against organized crime in the north.

Superintendent Binyamin remains under restrictions as investigators continue to probe his alleged role in obstructing the inquiry into one of Israel’s most powerful crime organizations.