Israeli Authorities Crack Down on Bakri Crime Organization in Nationwide Extortion and Money Laundering Probe

Seven senior members of the Bakri crime organization were arrested in Nazareth overnight as part of a coordinated operation targeting extensive extortion networks, sophisticated money laundering schemes, and systematic tax fraud, according to Israeli police and tax authorities. The arrests follow a two-year undercover investigation dubbed "Maze of Money," conducted jointly by the Israel Police's elite Lahav 433 unit and the Tax Authority's Money Laundering Prohibition Authority.

Background and Context

The Bakri organization, described by law enforcement as one of Israel's most sophisticated criminal networks, has long been suspected of infiltrating legitimate businesses and municipal institutions in northern Israel. According to Israel Police records, the group has been linked to multiple murder investigations and systematic extortion of local businesses for years. The current investigation marks the most significant coordinated effort to dismantle the organization's financial infrastructure since authorities began monitoring its activities in the early 2000s.

Key Figures and Entities

The operation involves multiple Israeli law enforcement bodies: Lahav 433 – Israel's National Crime Unit, which handles complex investigations including organized crime and financial offenses; the Tax Authority, particularly its Haifa Customs and VAT Investigation Unit; and the Money Laundering Prohibition Authority. Northern District Commander Commissioner Meir Eliyahu, speaking to reporters following the arrests, described the Bakri organization as "one that engaged in extortion of businesses, in murder incidents, and inserted its hands into a municipal authority with the intention of toppling the authority and squeezing it to its last drop of blood."

Legal and Financial Mechanisms

According to court filings reviewed by investigators, the suspects employed a multi-layered scheme to illicitly obtain millions of shekels over two years. The operation involved systematic extortion through threats against business owners, distribution of fictitious invoices to facilitate tax evasion, and sophisticated money laundering through shell companies. The Prohibition on Money Laundering Law provides the legal framework for prosecution, with violations carrying potential sentences of up to ten years imprisonment. The suspects were brought to Lahav 433 headquarters for interrogation following their arrests.

International Implications and Policy Response

The Bakri case highlights ongoing challenges in combating organized crime's infiltration of legitimate economic sectors. The operation's success demonstrates the effectiveness of Israel's interagency approach to financial crime, though questions remain about regulatory oversight that allowed such extensive criminal activity to persist. The Financial Action Task Force has repeatedly emphasized the need for robust beneficial ownership registries and enhanced cooperation between tax and law enforcement authorities to prevent similar schemes worldwide. Israeli lawmakers are currently considering amendments to strengthen corporate transparency requirements.

Sources

This report draws on official statements from the Israel Police and Tax Authority, court filings from the Israeli judicial system, and reporting by Israeli media outlets covering the investigation between December 2025 and January 2026.