Egyptian smuggler asks for Israel's help

The reputed smuggler, who allegedly received thousands of dollars to smuggle six Sudanese refugees into Israel via the Sinai, contacted Israeli police several nights ago and asked for their assistance, Maariv reported Tuesday.

The man explained his predicament to a surprised policewoman who took down the details and notified superiors, the newspaper said.

After a long search assisted by Israeli army troops, police found the group suffering from severe heat exhaustion, the newspaper said.

After giving them food and water, they were taken to a detention center in Israel.

A senior police officer told the newspaper the Egyptian and the Sudanese refugees would have died had the smuggler not notified them.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.