Israel gang leader appears in South African court for extradition hearing

18 Nov 2022; MEMO: A suspected Israeli gang leader, arrested by South African police on Thursday in an affluent Johannesburg suburb, appeared in court on Friday for an extradition hearing, Reuters reports.

The 46-year-old, wanted for conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder, is attached to a criminal group called the Abergil Organisation and has been on Interpol's Red Notice list since 2015.

A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

The South African Police Service said the gang leader was arrested together with seven other people during an operation conducted by Interpol and various units of SAPS.

The accused will be back in a South African court next week, where he faces charges of drug, unlicensed firearm and ammunition possession, as well as charges of possession of prohibited firearms, police, said in a statement.