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The Haifa Magistrate’s Court on Thursday extended by five days the detention of Dr. Ronen Mogilner, a 44-year-old dentist from Pardes Hanna, suspected of importing 2.5 kilograms of cocaine into Israel.
This marks the third extension of Mogilner’s remand since his arrest, following the interception of a suspicious shipment. The case has generated significant attention, both for the serious allegations and the suspect’s professional standing as a respected dentist and director of a Meuhedet dental clinic.
At the hearing, Sgt. Maj. Avi Israel from the Coastal District’s Central Unit told the court there had been a “dramatic development in the investigation.” Police requested an eight-day extension, though the judge ultimately granted five days with the defense’s consent.
Mogilner, a father of two, has already changed legal representation multiple times. His current defense attorney, Limor Halevi, argued vigorously against the prosecution’s claims, challenging the classification of the intercepted substance.
According to Halevi, the material was not white powder cocaine but a plant-based substance possibly containing no more than two grams of cocaine.
She explained that the package contained coca leaves mixed with ashes, “as the Indians used to consume in the past.” Under Israel’s Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, coca leaves and cocaine are defined separately.
Halevi emphasized that processing coca leaves into cocaine requires specialized laboratories and chemicals, none of which were found during searches connected to Mogilner.
The defense also pointed to the low price of the seized material, reportedly NIS 3,000, as inconsistent with the high market value of pure cocaine shipments. “This is far from the huge sums traded in the drug world,” Halevi told the court.
Police rejected these claims, with Sgt. Maj. Israel stating that investigators had seized “many other things” beyond the powder and that the defense’s argument was without merit. Authorities maintain there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity and grounds for continuing Mogilner’s detention.
The unfolding case has left the Pardes Hanna community in shock, as Mogilner had long been regarded as a trusted medical professional.
His detention and the serious allegations of drug importation have raised questions not only about his personal conduct but also about the strength of the evidence against him. The court’s decision to extend Mogilner’s detention ensures investigators more time to pursue the matter.
Meanwhile, the defense continues to argue that the allegations are based on a misinterpretation of the intercepted shipment, leaving the case at the intersection of complex legal and scientific questions.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members