Israeli minister in drugs admission

A FORMER Israeli cabinet minister has admitted he tried to smuggle 30,000 ecstasy tablets into Israel from the Netherlands and faces up to five years in jail.

Gonen Segev, energy and infrastructure minister from 1992 to 1995, forged an extension of his expired diplomatic passport and concealed the drugs in packages of M&M chocolates.

Segev, a 49-year-old physician, was arrested in Israel last April.

His lawyer said Segev and the prosecution agreed to a plea bargain. Segev, who belonged to the now-defunct, right-wing Tzomet party, initially denied all charges.

“He admitted to an attempt to smuggle ecstasy into Israel and holding a fake diplomatic passport at (Amsterdam’s) Schiphol Airport,” said the attorney, Zion Amir.

“It is up to the judge to determine whether (his sentence) will be five years or less,” he said.

Under Segev’s admission of guilt, he will also pay a fine of €20,775 that will be given to an anti-drugs fund.