Trial Begins for Nine Detained in 2021 Drug Plane Landing

The trial involving nine men, who were allegedly found inside a boat in the Hill Bank Lagoon with two bales of cocaine back in January 2021, kicked off today inside the Belize City Magistrates Court. The men were detained following the landing of a suspected drug plane. News of their detention made headlines at the time, because among the detainees were several law enforcement officers. The aircraft had gone down in the area of Lemonal and Crooked tree and the individuals allegedly involved sought to flee the scene by boat via the lagoon. Apart from the two bales allegedly found in the men’s possession, authorities discovered an additional twenty-three bales during that bust. All nine men were arrested and charged with possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply and breaching curfew. But, the start of today’s trial came to a screeching halt after Senior Counsel Hubert Elrington stormed out of the courtroom, leaving his clients hanging. During the trial, the Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl- Lynn Vidal, called Sergeant Shane Pook to testify. In his testimony, Sergeant Pook explained that three months prior to the landing, he was on patrol in Lemonal Village when he met three of the detained men in an SUV. When the men were questioned, they reportedly told Pook that they were out hunting. Pook testified, saying that he followed the men’s vehicle tracks and about a quarter mile off; he discovered an unfinished clandestine airstrip. According to Pook, he reported the finding to his superiors. Pook went on to say that the following day he got a call from one of the men offering him fifteen thousand dollars to allow them to land the plane in the area. Pook says he recorded the conversation and submitted it to his superiors. It was during his testimony that Senior Counsel Elrington stormed out of the courtroom. The matter was then adjourned until next week Monday. We spoke with Elrington and Attorney-at-Law Norman Rodriquez, who is representing two of the accused, outside the courtroom.

Hubert Elrington

Hubert Elrington, Attorney-at-Law

“My clients were charged that they were found in a boat and the boat has cocaine, fine. Since morning we have been hearing an odyssey relating to a plane that came in and some cocaine found on a trailer that was being towed by a tractor which got stuck and labeled as found property. If they have labeled these cocaine was found property, what has my clients got to do with this? The police have already labeled that as found property. Nobody was there to; they didn’t find anybody with this property so it is totally irrelevant. I will wait and see how long it will take them to finish with this foolishness.”

Norman Rodriquez

Norman Rodriquez, Attorney-at-Law

“We have three counsels, one senior counsel and two other counsels on this matter representing the nine men and one counsel believe that the evidence being led at this time had nothing to do with the charges for which the men are before the court. As a result he did what he has a right to do, withdraw. When we came back we requested an adjournment to see if we could resolve this, because three men who is left without representation has a right to representation and the senior magistrate allowed that opportunity and there was no objection from madam DPP herself.”

They are scheduled to return to court on Monday