Expulsion order issued against U.S. businessman

You may run but you won’t find it easy to hide in Belize. That’s the message behind the issuing of an expulsion order by Immigration Minister Dean Barrow against a U.S. businessman living in the country. Thomas Crutchfield was taken into custody on Saturday and Chief Justice George Singh issued the writ informing him of the Minister’s decision that same night. According to Barrow, Crutchfield, who has been living in Belize for the last six months is a fugitive from justice who is wanted in the United States for ten felony indictments related to the smuggling of exotic wildlife. Although U.S. Embassy officials could not give much in the way of details, News Five understands that a request was made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their assistance in getting Crutchfield back to the States via a quicker route than the often drawn out extradition process. Crutchfield is contesting the Expulsion Order and a Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for Friday morning in Belize City.