Early Morning Sweep Nets Drugs and Ammunition, Eleven Arrests

Recent developments on Ambergris Caye have prompted the Belize Police Department to ramp up its presence on the island, where a series of incidents that are believed to be drug-related have been taking place.  On Monday morning, sometime around five-thirty, police raided the homes of Alexander Fitzgibbon and Lucio Salazar, both fishermen of the Boca del Rio area of San Pedro.  The joint operation yielded an assortment of drugs and ammunition and has resulted in the arrests of eleven individuals, including three minors.  Police discovered two hundred and ninety-four grams of crack cocaine, eighty-nine grams of powder cocaine, fifty-four grams of cannabis and one hundred and one rounds of five point five-six ammo.  Arrested and charged were Alexander Fitzgibbon Senior, Karla Salazar, Antonio Ortiz, Brian Ack, Wilmer Ortiz, Jeffrey Alegria, Lucio Salazar, Karen Santos, and three minors.  Commissioner of Police Chester Williams visited the island last Thursday, following the double murders of tour operator Mario Graniel and American tourist Dr. Gary Swank and has since stepped up enforcement efforts in San Pedro.