12,000 Coca Plants Destroyed in Belizean Territory

On Monday, a joint patrol led by the Belize Defense Force deployed along the Sarstoon River to investigate reports of suspected coca plantations in the farthest reaches of the country. Upon arrival, the team located and destroyed a total of three coca plantations. In total the plantations contained approximately twelve thousand plants. Earlier today, we caught up with Brigadier General Azariel Loria, the Commander of the Belize Defense Force who gave us further details about the operation.

Brigadier General Azariel Loria

Brigadier General Azariel Loria, Commander, B.D.F.

“There was a special operation conducted in that area you mentioned, south west of Graham Creek. It is a small village close to the Sarstoon, about a mile and a half close to the Sarstoon where we discovered three plantations, coca plantations. But, that was something inbound to happen. The Guatemalans they have destroyed some three to five kilometers to the south of that general area where we discovered the plantation. So, the first plantation had about ten thousand plants ranging n two to three feet. The second plantation had about twenty thousand plant in the same height. And, thje other one was a really huge plantation of about eighty thousand coca plants. That is what we went to destroy with the police and the coast guard.”

Reporter

“In Belizean territory?”

Brigadier General Azariel Loria

“In Belizean territory, just north of the Sarstoon, so we will keep patrolling the area and we caught this on time. It had been recently planted.”