Permission is Given to Confiscate Boats and Canoes in the North

A bust took place this afternoon of more than twenty canoes believed to be used in contrabanding activities. It all happened in the village of Santa Cruz in the Orange Walk District, which is a known hot spot for contrabandistas who cross into Mexican communities and return with loads of contraband items. Last week, the policed took the media to the area and today while on patrol there; police and residents of the village became embroiled in a confrontation when they seized the canoes used in the illegal trade. The canoes were taken to the Orange Walk police station. According to the top cop, authority has been granted to officers stationed in the communities of San Victor, Santa Cruz, Douglas and Cocoyol to confiscate all boats and canoes used to go over into Mexico illegally.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Just today, I gave the police in that area instructions, and when I say that area I mean the border operations, that is in San Victor, Santa Cruz, Douglas and Cocoyol, that all of those little canoes that we see along the riverside, we are going to take possession of those canoes, remove them from the area and we’ll see how that’s going to play out.  If it is that they don’t have the canoe, they will not be able to create anymore mischief.  When the police go to these areas and find any canoes or any boats in those areas, we are going to confiscate them until we can be able to ensure that we can get a grip of this situation.  The thing is that the canoes are what they use to enable their activities.  If we are to take away the canoes, we disable them and their activities would become less.  So we are hoping that that is going to work out for us.”