Minister Breaks Silence on Police-involved Drug Plane Landing
Kareem Musa
During an interview with the media corps this morning, Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa broke his silence on the recent plane landing in southern Belize in Bladen Village which involved four police officers. He asserts that this type of activity involving corrupt officers is not unique to Belize; in fact, on the same night of November fourth, a narco plane also landed in Guatemala and uniformed law enforcement officers were caught red-handed. Musa says that under his leadership, they are resolute on weeding out corrupt officers.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“Which of you in here, as members of the media, have not heard before that police officers are involved in this? And I am sure all of you have heard it. And so if you give me the option – A, you could ketch the drugs, but noh ketch who land the plane or who facilitate it or B, you also catch the drugs and you catch those individuals responsible for facilitating the plane landing, I will always choose B. As much as it is painful to see, as minister, that there are corrupt officers involved, it is all over the world. It might be a very difficult pill to swallow as a country, but that is how we root out the corrupt officers. Yes, when you peel off the band-aid, the sore is not a pretty one. The People’s United Party did not create that sore. And I won’t want to place it all on the U.D.P. for creating that sore either. It is not a pretty sight. But in order for you to treat the wounds within the department, you have to foresee it. Having had the last two weeks to appreciate how the narratives go in many different directions following an incident like that, I find it regrettable. I find it regrettable because we forget that there were four very brave officers who risked their lives to go after an airplane likely knowing that there were drugs on that plane and to engage at the scene, with those on the scene – both civilians and allegedly police officers as well.”
Minister Musa says that the four officers who responded and intercepted the men in the drug plane landing will be honoured for their heroic acts later on for their bravery.
