Chester Williams Returns to Douglas, One Border Jumper Arrested

Chester Williams

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams returned to Douglas in Orange Walk District on Wednesday where he once again met with villagers in an effort to dissuade them from the illegal practice of contrabanding. With the rise in border jumping and the importation of COVID-19 cases from neighboring Mexico, there has been a crackdown by local law enforcement to arrest the activity.  According to ComPol Williams, one individual was pursued and taken into custody after it was discovered that he was in Mexico earlier this week, notwithstanding the existing prohibition of cross border travel.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“This whole pandemic issue and the issue of border jumping and contrabanding is really and truly frustrating.  You ever find yourself where you wish you were not you?  Sometimes I wish I was not me.  The whole issue of people not abiding by the law is rather frustrating and we continue to receive information of border jumpers, particularly those engaged in contraband, still doing these activities within the Douglas, San Victor and Santa Cruz area.  So I went back into the area yesterday and there was a person whose photographs came up on social media that he was in a part of Mexico on Monday and so that person was sought, he was caught and he was swabbed and placed in quarantine.  That is one Mr. Alamilla.  And again, I want to sound the warning that this issue with border jumping and contrabanding is one that we must take seriously and there is absolutely no room for negotiation.  There is absolutely no room for complacency.  We have to go after these people with a vigor and make them understand that we are dead serious about bringing an end to their activities.  And so I went back into the area yesterday, I spoke to villagers of San Jose and of Douglas and they gave us some information in terms of persons who are involved and this sort of thing and we are working on those information to be able to go after those persons who we know are involved in contrabanding.  Now last night, the police in San Victor, acting on information, they went to search a home and they found a number of contraband goods on the roof of the building.  The goods were taken into the custody of the police, all the occupants of the house were detained, they were swabbed and they are now in quarantine.  After the quarantine, they will be charged under the SI for being in possession of contraband.”