15 Bales of Cocaine Seized, 12 Guatemalans and 1 Belizean Busted
A sting operation led by the Belize Police Department, in collaboration with the Belize Coast Guard and the Belize Defense Force, has yielded another sizeable cocaine bust and a cache of firearms. Thirteen persons, twelve Guatemalans and a businessman from a popular store in the Louisiana area of Orange Walk were detained on Thursday afternoon in the operation that spanned the city, the George Price Highway and the Coastal Road. Over the past five days, police monitored the movement of a pair of men who entered the country on Sunday morning. During their stay at the Princess Hotel, the men were observed meeting with several other persons. The undercover officers also kept an eye of a vessel which was docked at the nearby marina. That patience and vigilance paid off on Thursday when three Guatemalan men were pulled over after passing a checkpoint along the George Price Highway near Hattieville. Inside their pickup truck were two loaded firearms. Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie provides a chronology leading up to the drug bust.
Allen Whylie
Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
“On Sunday, October 28th, 2018, at about ten a.m., based on information and intelligence received, the department placed two Guatemalans under surveillance where they were followed around in Belize City, including to the location of a hotel where they were staying. On Wednesday, October 31st, 2018, at about six a.m., we also became aware that a vessel, a Boston Whaler came into Belize. It was moored at the marina, Princess Marina, where we saw some meeting between the persons who were under surveillance and occupants of that vessel. On Thursday, November 1st, 2018, about 12:15 p.m., again the police via its checkpoint that was erected on the Western Highway intercepted a Dodge Ram pickup truck which had in six occupants, one Belizean and five Guatemalans. Three of those individuals, three of the Guatemalans were in the pan at the rear of that vehicle. That vehicle was searched outside of the Hattieville area where two, nine millimeter pistols were discovered at the back of that vehicle.”
