December 28, 2010

Israel’s diamond body expels member for attempt to smuggle blood stones

David Vardi was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport last week with about $200,000 worth of illegal Zimbabwe diamonds.

HAARETZ.com (AP)

http://www.jewishjournal.com/ israel/article/israels_diamond_body_expels_member_for_attempt_to_smuggle_blood_stones_2010/

Israel’s Diamond Exchange says it has expelled a longtime member for attempting to smuggle illegal Zimbabwe blood diamonds into the country.

Spokesman Assaf Levin said Tuesday that the bourse expelled David Vardi after he was arrested at Ben-Gurion International Airport last week with about $200,000 worth of illegal Zimbabwe stones. He said his organization “will not tolerate dealing in blood diamonds.”

Zimbabwe is banned from exporting diamonds under the Kimberley Process, the 75-nation regulatory group that seeks to end the trade of so-called blood diamonds, which fund violence in Africa.