A group of Salvadorans and suspected ring leader in custody

There is another case in a growing list of human trafficking offences to report tonight for which a twenty-nine year-old man remains in custody at the Queen Street Police. The Immigration Department strongly believes that the suspect has been smuggling Salvadorans into Belize and across the northern border. But that is just what they suspect, because a group of six men, also in custody, are not providing information to confirm the police suspicion. Victor Manuel Gonzalez Juarez, Carlos Adalberto Alvarado Valdezon, Santos de Jeses Aleman, Miguel Angel Azmitia Cea, Celso Antonio Aleman Valle and Victor Manuel Rivera Valle, all deny knowing the suspect in custody. The six were caught illegally in Belize on Sunday and deemed prohibited immigrants. Immigration personnel received a tip that led them to the Novelo’s Bus terminal where they intercepted four Salvadoran nationals who had just exited a bus from Western Belize. Two others were surprised at the Pallotti bus stop with the suspect believed to be the ring leader. The group appeared to be heading north into Mexico having entered Belize through the Mopan River. All six Salvadorans pleaded guilty in the courtroom of Magistrate Leslie Hamilton on Monday and were fined one thousand dollars each. Up to this evening, they had been unable to meet the fine and are serving their fine in time. A removal order which was requested by the Immigration Department was granted by Magistrate Hamilton and the men will be deported to Salvador on the completion of the jail term. The Salvadorans only had identification cards in their possessions. They claimed they were going to Carmelita Village to work.