Belize City Trio Receives Harsh Penalties for Drug Trafficking

Four years ago, three Belize City men were intercepted with seventeen kilograms or some thirty-eight pounds of weed near the western border.  The bust happened on March sixteenth, 2011 and their case which started in San Ignacio came to close today in the court room of the Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. Richard Smith, Jason Phillips and Kent Nunez were all found guilty and imposed harsh fines and will also have to serve time. According to PC Williams Castillo, who made the arrest, he saw two men exit Puga’s farm carrying a bulky plastic bag and proceeded to a car parked on the highway. The duo placed the bag in the trunk of the vehicle and got in. The driver took off, but was stopped by Williams who radioed for backup. The two cops then opened the bag and found the weed and took the three men to the police station. The vehicle was impounded and they were all charged jointly with drug trafficking.  Today, Smith was fined fifteen thousand dollars, which he is to pay forthwith, and confined to a three year prison term. The records show that he has a list of drug related convictions and has pending cases before the court. Phillips was slapped with an eleven thousand dollar fine and three years in prison and he has a previous conviction for drug trafficking. Nunez was fined ten thousand dollars and sentenced to three years in prison. The trio will be making submissions in court next week seeking a payment plan.