Israeli troops foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs into Israel from Egypt on the evening of 2 March 2022.[1] Soldiers monitoring surveillance cameras spotted the smuggling attempt and dispatched troops to the scene.[1] Suspects on the Egyptian side tossed the drugs over the border fence, apparently for accomplices on the Israeli side to collect later.[1] No arrests were made.[1]

Troops seized more than 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of marijuana and hashish.[1] The Israel Defense Forces estimated the seized contraband was worth NIS 6 million, about $1.8 million.[1]

Israel says Egyptian smugglers operate by tossing contraband over the border to Israelis, who then sell the drugs in Israel.[1] The smugglers mostly traffic in marijuana from grow houses in the Sinai Peninsula, though sometimes harder drugs such as heroin are smuggled as well.[1] Although the IDF is tasked with preventing smuggling along the Israeli-Egyptian border, it typically avoids direct confrontation with Israeli drug smugglers and leaves that to the police.[1] Several deadly encounters between Israeli troops and drug smugglers had occurred the previous year.[1]