Israeli authorities arrest six in suspected diamond smuggling scheme

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli authorities arrested six people on Monday suspected of smuggling large amounts of diamonds into the country over several years.

Israel's tax authority and police said they suspected each played a part in the conspiring, planning and smuggling of "hundreds of millions of shekels" worth of diamonds. They did not identify the individuals.

"The investigating units intend to carry out more arrests of suspects in Israel and abroad," police said in a statement.

Israel is a world centre for diamond cutting and polishing with one of the biggest exchanges in the world.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Richard Balmforth)