Suspected Masterminds of Drug Plane Landing Arrested
At the crack of dawn this morning, a narco plane was heard circling up north. Around six in the morning, the aircraft crash landed off the Chunox-Sarteneja road in the Corozal District. Police had been monitoring the movements of the narco plane which originated from Venezuela and were ready at another location. But the plane crashed landed at a farm and by the time the police arrived, the cargo had been carted away. The police, however, were able to detain two persons. These two individuals are from Orange Walk and are believed to have planned the illicit landing. A News Five team exclusively captured the police operation on the ground since early this morning. Here is Hipolito Novelo with a report.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Heavily armed law enforcement officers guarded this narco jet- a British aerospace seven hundred aircraft- while forensic experts searched for and collected evidence. With a tail number H720PT, the narco jet crashed landed just before six o’clock this morning on a farm a few yards off the Chunox Sarteneja Road in Corozal.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“This morning around five-thirty a.m. thereabout, police received information of an aircraft that landed in the area of Sarteneja/Chunox area on a farm or an open space. Based on that police and B.D.F. responded to the location and upon arrival a British aerospace seven hundred aircraft was seen extensively damage on the open space which apparently is a farm land. Police made checks inside and observed that the contents were gone.”
Residents say the jet was flying low and circled twice before the pilot took the risk to land the plane here. The jet’s nose is dipped in a pile of dirt. Its wheels were damaged during the landing. There was no blood inside the plane suggesting that no one may have been injured during the illicit landing.
Chester Williams
“Again the area where this aircraft landed is not an area where you would expect and aircraft to land because there is no run per say that is suitable for an aircraft to land. Nonetheless we can see that the pilot too the risk and did in fact land the aircraft within that area so it is a matter that we are dealing with.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Do you believe that that area was plan B or C?”
Chester Williams
“I would want to think a plan B or plan C; could not be a primary landing area.”
The crew moved quickly, removing the illicit cargo off the plane. They had help from persons on the ground, waiting to transport the drugs. Police later descended in the area. The cargo had disappeared but two men were detained for questioning. Commissioner Williams says that intelligence was received with respect to the drug plane. Its original landing site was being monitored.
Chester Williams
“At this time, we have two persons detained. They were not found within the area but the persons we have detained we believe that they are the masterminds behind the landing of the aircraft. So they are in custody and they are currently being interviewed.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Can you say if they are Belizeans?”
Chester Williams
“Yes they are Belizeans from Orange Walk District.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Are they known to police?”
Chester Williams
“Yes they are both known to the police.”
Hipolito Novelo
“How much drugs would you say could fit in a plane as such?”
Chester Williams
“I would say between half and three-quarter ton.”
An operation led by Police Commissioner Chester Williams focused on trying to locate the drugs. News Five accompanied the police convoy. A road to the rear of the crash site was first traversed. A team of officers were left in that area as we made our way to a further location, near the Coast of eastern Belize.
Chester Williams
“We have been busy in the area searching as we believe that whatever came on board that aircraft is still in country and may still be within the area. And so we are out in full force with a view to see if we can search and find the content of the aircraft. These are areas we believe that the drugs would traverse in order to get out of Belize.”
Parked along the way was this red pickup truck. Officers searched the vehicle to determine the owner. Two yards away we spotted three sets of foot prints that led into the swamp. In the swamp were three men who were questioned by Special Patrol Unit Commander ASP Marco Vidal.
Chester Williams
“Basically it is unfortunate that they have a red vehicle because from our intelligence that we picked up is that one of the vehicles used this morning in the movement of the drugs is a red pickup. But obviously they are out there on legitimate business doing fishing as the case may be. So they were interviewed and released by the police.”
We continued to the sea coast where this house was searched. Nothing was found however the operation continues.
Chester Williams
“We are working with our Mexican counterparts as well as the D.E.A. they are part of our operations currently. We are doing our best to see if we can find the contents of the plane.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
A narco plane also landed overnight in the outskirts of Chetumal, Mexico.
