Guatemalan Woman Charged $10,000 for Marijuana Trafficking

Joseph Myvett

In a separate incident, police arrested another Guatemalan national on drug trafficking charges. Police and B.D.F. were conducting a vehicular check point on the Arenal Road in Benque Viejo when they searched a taxi and discovered three hundred and thirty-six grams of marijuana. The woman has since been charged ten thousand dollars and if she defaults on payment she will face a three year jail sentence. ACP Joseph Myvett has more.

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“They stopped and conducted searches on a gray in color Nissan Taxi. In that taxi was a female passenger on whom searches were conducted on by a WPC. That resulted in the discovery of a black plastic bag containing three hundred and thirty-six grams of cannabis. She was later identified as Ruth Naomi Ordonez, a thirty-nine-year-old Guatemalan of a Santa Elena Town address. She has since been arrested and charged for the offence of drug trafficking where she was also taken to court and fined a total of ten thousand dollars; in default, three years in prison and she was given time to pay that fine.”

Andrea Polanco

“The police have been recording a number of incidents in that particular area; do you have any ongoing operations to curb some of these activities in that area?”

ACP Joseph Myvett

“Yes, we have and hence the reason for the interdictions.”

Andrea Polanco

“Okay – are you able to share if it is just patrols, stop and search?”

ACP Joseph Myvett

“No there have been strategic operations that are being held in that area and these are some of the results.”

Andrea Polanco

“Sir, at this time, do you have – or perhaps are there key individuals you think who may be supplying or involved in this illegal activity in western Belize?”

ACP Joseph Myvett

“We know that for certain that certain individuals are being targeted or are being looked at with a view to investigate those whom we believe are involved.”