Weed haul weighs in at 3,000 pounds

The next item on the Commissioner’s short but power-packed agenda was the container full of weed that was found at the Port Authority on Monday. After the cache was unloaded, Brooks said the eighty four parcels of compressed marijuana tipped the scale at one thousand, three hundred and sixty four kilos, which translates to a little over three thousand pounds. As we had reported in yesterday’s newscast, the container was removed from the Port compound around the twentieth of May and returned last Friday, after the person who rented it, cancelled the request, saying he was having problems with documentation. Commissioner Brooks filled in some of the missing details and told the media that the continuing investigation could land a number of people some jail time.

Ornel Brooks, Commissioner of Police

“This container was removed from the Port Authority by one Arthur Tillett who drove a tow head and took the container to a destination. The towhead is owned by Ernesto Castillo, businessman of Dangriga. Tillett returned the towhead on the twenty ninth of May to the Port Authority and at the time it was delivered it was mentioned that it was empty, and so it was sealed and labeled as being empty.

We have both Tillett and Castillo in custody and we are now interviewing them and there certainly will be further arrests in this matter. Our detectives are at present pursuing a number of other people.”

Brooks declined to name the person, allegedly from southern Belize, who actually ordered the container, saying to do so might hinder the investigation. He also declined to name the place where the container was taken to be loaded, although speculation centers on the Mennonite community of Shipyard.