Six Men Busted with Shrimp and Corona Beer in Orange Point

Six persons, including four Asian businessmen, were taken into custody on Tuesday morning after being busted by a coastguard patrol near Orange Point, in the southern waters of Toledo.  Xueen Ma, Jianfu Huang, Ivan Pena, Leslie Williams and two others were spotted by B.D.F. personnel not far from the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base where they rendezvoused with a Guatemalan vessel that had crossed over into Belizean waters.  Noticing something suspicious, the B.D.F. alerted their coastguard counterparts in Barranco and a team was promptly dispatched to pursue the launch.  While the captain of the vessel and his passengers attempted to evade the patrol, they were eventually caught near Orange Point with a large quantity of shrimp and a case of Corona beer.  They were taken to Punta Gorda Town where they were quarantined while awaiting charges.  But tonight, there is a lot of chatter surrounding the actual whereabouts of the men who some residents say have been set free.  This afternoon, News Five spoke with Commander Gregory Soberanis who told us that the men had been surrender to health and customs officials.

Gregory Soberanis

Commander Gregory Soberanis, Vice Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“Yesterday, on May twenty-sixth at approximately eleven o’clock, we the coastguard have a station in Barranco.  That team that was in Barranco received a message from the Belize Defense Force team that is stationed at the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base.  The information that the coastguard team received was that the B.D.F. team being vigilant in that Sarstoon border area observed movement of two vessels; one vessel that came from Guatemala and one vessel that came from the Belizean side.  What the Belize Defense Force team reported was that there was a link up between these two vessels, with these two vessels.  The link up was made, the Guatemalan boat then returned to the Guatemalan side of the border and the Belizean vessel then proceeded north in the direction of Punta Gorda.  The coastguard team stationed at Barranco mobilized and eventually made an intercept at Orange Point which is very close to Punta Gorda Town.  Onboard the vessel were six individuals, four Chinese descent individuals and two locals from Punta Gorda Town.  They informed the coastguard patrol that they were out purchasing shrimp.  Onboard the vessel there was a large white igloo icebox and, ironically, a case of Corona beer.  The vessel and individuals onboard were then escorted to Punta Gorda Town where they were then handed over to customs, BAHA and the Ministry of Health.  We were informed that they were subsequently quarantined in Punta Gorda Town.  Currently, all six men are in quarantine by the Ministry of Health. We also know that there is an ongoing investigation by the Customs Department.  Pending the outcome of that investigation will determine what charges will be levied against these individuals.”