B.D.F. Working with B.P.D. to Prevent Cartel Activity in Northern Belize

Azariel Loria

Several weeks ago, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told the media of the increase presence of cartels in southern Mexico and there are reports that contrabandists who frequently cross over into Mexico are being forced to pay the cartels for access.  It is quickly becoming a concern for local authorities and today, B.D.F. Commander Brigadier General Azariel Loria told the media that they have been on the ground providing support to the Belize Police Department in areas such as San Victor, San Roman and Douglas.

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, B.D.F.

“That’s an area of concern as we speak. I think that Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has briefed on that about a developing cartel or a cartel that branched off the Sinaloa cartel and have formed their mini cartel in that area. From the B.D.F. perspective, we have not seen the Mexicans entering into Belizean territory. What we are doing, we are in support of the police and we are patrolling the river. They do not have the necessary assets to do that so we are patrolling up and down with our special boat unit. We are in support of the police doing land patrols in what they call their composite patrols. We have our personnel attached to two or three composite patrols in those villages that we maintain the area as calm as possible and as safe so that people can go about their daily lives without fear for their lives. The operation was not placed for contrabandists. It was placed there in response to a cartel that is starting to form up and we don’t want that. We want to give it the attention that it requires so that it doesn’t spiral out of control as it is happening in Mexico. That everything is like how in colloquial terms you say is going south. We don’t want that to come here to Belize.”