Operations Ramp Up for 19th and Christmas; Motorcycles a Target

A recent increase in firearm offenses committed by culprits on motorcycles has forced the Belize Police Department to crackdown on motorists in the Old Capital.  A spike in drive-by shootings and related traffic violations will see an enforcement of regulations under the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, as well as other anti-crime operations.  These measures came into effect on Tuesday and will remain in place well beyond the Nineteenth weekend.   According to ACP Williams, the prevalence of these infractions will be curbed by applying all relevant penalties.

Chester Williams

ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South

“You would know that effective yesterday we commenced our motorcycle operation and one of the reasons why we are doing these operations is as a result of the fact that we have seen an increase in shooting where a motorcycle is used as the vehicle of choice in going to the different areas to commit these crimes.  And one of the reasons why motorcycles are used is because it is small and can maneuver through traffic easily and they can always elude the police.  So we are targeting motorcycles, we are looking at persons who are riding motorcycles without helmets, not displaying the license stickers.  There are instances where people are riding a motorcycle and you are driving and sudden one you hear “vhoop”, they are beside you, overtaking on the wrong side and those are very, very dangerous.  We have also seen where motorcycles are being used as vehicles.  One past me the other day and there were like four persons on it, a small Meilun motorcycle.  The common-law [husband], the common-law wife and two kids, four persons on one motorcycle.  It is very dangerous, so those are things that we are targeting now and we are hoping that with this we will see some reduction in the amount of gun violence committed by persons who are using these motorcycles as a means to commit their crime.  And these operations will continue over the Christmas break and we intend to keep doing it over a long period of time.”