On suspicion of bribery offenses: Five suspects were arrested this morning (Tuesday) and five more were detained for questioning, including a serving council head in the north of the country, as part of an investigation by the police's Lahav 433 unit.
The arrest was made after the Fraud Investigations Unit conducted an undercover investigation in recent months, regarding suspected offenses of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, receiving something by fraud, money laundering offenses, and offenses against the Income Tax Ordinance and the VAT Law.
The investigation became public this morning, with the arrest of the suspects.
In addition, the unit's detectives conducted searches at local authority offices in the north of the country.
The investigation materials indicate bribery ties between computer service providers and senior officials in several local authorities in the north, including providing benefits to public employees in the authorities in exchange for winning tenders and receiving work.
The investigation also revealed that the parties worked together to fraudulently spend public funds.
In accordance with the needs of the investigation, the suspects will be brought later today for a detention extension hearing at the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court.
