Criminal8/20/2026

Court Extends Detention of Three Suspects in International Trafficking of Women

The Haifa Magistrate's Court extended by seven days the detention of three residents of Be'er Sheva and Eilat. Police suspect that they organized an international network that persuaded women from Eastern Europe to come to Israel to work in prostitution.

Key facts

•Court: Haifa Magistrate's Court
•Judge: Amir Salameh
•Suspects: three people
•Length of detention extension: seven days
•The investigation lasted about nine months
•Neither the case number nor the exact date was stated

Who Was Arrested

Police arrested Alexander Singer, 36, and his partner, Inna Polishchuk, 35, from Be'er Sheva, as well as Yaakov Mirmovich, 42, from Eilat. They are suspected of involvement in human trafficking and pimping. The court has not yet ruled on the suspects' guilt.

How the Investigation Was Conducted

The covert, cross-border investigation, conducted by the Central Unit of the Coastal District Police, lasted about nine months. It began following a report from the police's Operational Coordination Division regarding an organized group suspected of trafficking in persons and assisting them in leaving the country for the purpose of prostitution. Police cooperated with units in Israel and abroad, deployed undercover agents, and tracked women who arrived in the country at the suspects' direction.

What the Court Decided

Judge Amir Salameh held three separate hearings and determined that there was reasonable suspicion against each of the detainees. He noted the complexity of the investigation and the need to give investigators a reasonable period of time to continue conducting it. The detention of all three was extended by seven days, after which they must be brought before a judge again.

The Defense's Positions

The detention of the partners, Singer and Polishchuk, was extended with the consent of the attorneys representing them, Hussein Manaa and Yara Aloushi. Attorney Maher Talhami, who represents Mirmovich on behalf of the Public Defender's Office, objected. The source did not provide a case number, the specific statutory provisions, or the Gregorian date of the decision.

What this means for you

The detention extension means only that the court allowed the police to continue the investigation while the suspects remain in custody; it does not constitute a ruling that they are guilty. It is important for people in a similar situation to distinguish between the existence of reasonable suspicion at the investigation stage and a final judgment, which can be issued only after further criminal proceedings.

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Case analysis based on court rulings