Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 Source: Jerusalem Post (Israel) Copyright: 2000,sThe Jerusalem Post Contact: PO Box 81, Jerusalem, 91000 - Israel Fax: + 972-2-5389527 Feedback: http://www.jpost.co.il/com/Letters/input.html Website: http://www.jpost.co.il/ Author: Heidi J. Gleit 'HA'ARETZ' STAFFERS REMANDED FOR INTERNET DRUG SALES TEL AVIV (June 2) - Two Ha'aretz staffers were remanded for five days by Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court yesterday on suspicion they have been dealing drugs on IOL, a Web site owned by Ha'aretz. The two, Rehavia Berman, 30, and David Hanoch, 29, both of Tel Aviv, used an IOL chat room about science fiction to make arrangements to supply marijuana to buyers, according to police. Police declined to specify the quantity of drugs involved, saying only that it was "a large amount." They allegedly both bought and grew marijuana to sell. It is unclear how many people were involved in the operation. Detectives from the youth squad uncovered the alleged operation while searching for dealers on the Internet. Berman's and Hanoch's reputed customers were not minors and so the case was passed on to another department to investigate. Berman was arrested and released to house arrest for several days on related charges two weeks ago. Since then, both he and Hanoch have taken steps to interfere with the investigation, police said, and asked that the two be remanded for eight days. Their lawyers, Benny Katz and Keren Levy, asked that they be released to house arrest. They denied the two had tried to interfere with the investigation, saying Berman, a freelance sports reporter, had been in contact with Hanoch, who is a sub-editor on the sports desk, for work reasons. They also emphasized that their clients live respectable lives and do not have criminal records. Judge Hayuta Kochan rejected this argument, saying, "It is a shame that someone who has a job, and an interesting one at that, and doesn't lack the funds to support himself, would resort to dealing drugs ... The suspects' attorneys praised their clean past, but I can do nothing but marvel and express regret that two respectable people who lacked nothing found their way to the world of crime." She remanded the two until Tuesday, saying "police have gathered a large amount of information connecting the two to drug dealing and to supplying drugs to various people at many opportunities. A large amount of drugs passed through the suspects' hands, as each of them had people with whom he carried out drug-related transactions." - --- MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson