The Jerusalem Post reports: Police on Monday concluded “Operation 500” – a year-long undercover operation targeting the illegal arms trade in the Israeli-Arab regions of the Triangle and Netanya.

The undercover officer, whose name is under gag order, assimilated into the criminal underworld and was able to purchase numerous weapons and drugs leading to 63 arrests, with more expected, according to police. Some 600 officers participated in the searches and arrests.

During the operation, the undercover officer purchased 12 improvised homemade submachine guns known as the “Carlo”, three Kalashnikov assault rifles, an unspecified number of pistols, one grenade, and a large quantity of hashish, marijuana and cocaine.

According to intelligence on the price for illegal weapons in the Arab sector the agent gathered, a Carlo sells for between NIS 5,500 to 8,000, while the cost of a Kalishnikov is NIS 32,000 to 38,000.

Chief of Police Roni Alsheikh said Operation 500 was part of a larger movement to build relations with the Arab sector.

Read more here.