(haipo) – The Haifa District Court sentenced the owner of a company to six months in prison with community service, a fine of 450 shekels, and confiscation of property. Cobra Recycling Ltd., which operated three pirate waste sites in the Kabol area. This follows enforcement and investigation actions by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, after the company dumped approximately 26 tons of waste that caused serious harm to the soil, air, and water sources.
26 thousand tons of waste – three pirate sites
According to the amended indictment, between 2017 and 2018, the company dumped approximately 26 tons of household waste, lumps, and trimmings at three pirate sites in the Kavul area, instead of transporting them to authorized treatment sites. The activity caused soil contamination, concerns about harm to groundwater and nearby streams, and unreasonable air pollution, while making illegal savings on removal and landfill costs and avoiding the payment of landfill fees.
Enforcement, investigation and conviction: This is how the case unfolded
After the discovery of the hazards, the Northern District of the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued cleanup orders and cease and desist orders, but the hazards were not addressed. The Green Police subsequently opened an investigation in cooperation with the Israel Police, which led to the filing of an indictment and the conduct of criminal proceedings by the Haifa District Attorney's Office.
The defendants, Ahmed Ryan and company Cobra Recycling Ltd., were convicted, based on their confessions, as part of a plea agreement, of a series of environmental and economic offenses.
Sentence: Imprisonment, fine, and forfeiture of property
The court sentenced the company owner:
- 6 months in prison with community service
- 6 months probation
The company itself was tasked with:
- A fine of 450 shekels will be transferred to the Cleanliness Fund.
- Confiscation of funds and property
In addition, the court issued a cleanup order requiring the defendants to remove approximately 20 tons of waste from the three sites within 12 months and transfer them to a licensed site. The cleanup will be supervised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and if it is not completed, the state will carry out the removal and demand the defendants pay the costs.
"He who pollutes – pays and also fixes"
Sigal Blumenfeld, Northern District Director at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, she said: "The verdict sends a clear message: anyone who harms the environment and the public in order to make a financial profit will be held accountable for their actions. We started with enforcement orders, continued with an investigation and criminal proceedings, and now also with punishment and an obligation to clean up the area. We will continue to act decisively against waste crime."
The fight against waste crimes continues
The Ministry of Environmental Protection emphasizes that it will continue to use all supervisory, enforcement and investigative tools at its disposal to protect public health, natural resources and the environment and to ensure that polluters do not benefit from their activities.
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And now to deal with the pollutants of the Saadia River with the same firmness
😍"Well done" for the "enforcement" against those who pollute the environment in general... in particular - against a "waste removal company" that earned "public money" fraudulently, while it pledged to benefit and actually harmed "environmental quality"😭