At Ben Gurion Airport, Unit 747 is made up of intelligence and detective officers that work undercover to identify and intercept the smuggling of drugs, weapons, protected wildlife, and other items restricted from entry into Israel. The unit works closely with customs officials, airport authority, and police units. Suspected criminals are sometimes identified as they depart their country of origin; detectives are prepared for their arrival and follow their suspect to landing, customs checks, and baggage claim.

The teams of thirty men and women work closely, mainly in the arrivals hall. They scan passengers for behavioral indications, body language, and erratic or nervous behavior. These suspicious signs help to find a needle in a haystack. The unit’s commander, Superintendent Amit Barzilai explained, “Every innocent looking passenger could be a courier bringing in drugs, weapons, or something else. But I know how to focus my vision among the hundreds around me at any given moment in the arrivals hall,” he said. “Someone smuggling something illegal, like drugs, will struggle to control their body language and will project suspicious movements.” Sometimes, he added, detectives deliberately create a provocation. “Suddenly, a uniformed officer will stand along the path from the plane to the baggage carousel, or join the crowd around the conveyor belt. Someone who knows they’re smuggling something illegal that carries a prison sentence will instinctively show tension and discomfort. That’s the moment we spot them and stay on their tail.”

Please pray for this unit that creates a shield at Ben Gurion airport from illegal drugs and weapons entering the country and harming the population. 

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