Gary Seawell’s grenade possibly linked to BATSUB

Gary Seawell, the Ladyville resident who has been on the lam since 2007, is the last of three brothers wanted by the United States on narco-trafficking and money laundering charges.  Duane is locked up in the United States and Mark is in the Hattieville Prison fighting extradition to the U.S.  On Tuesday morning the police department made a big catch when they captured thirty-three year old Gary Seawell and his girlfriend twenty-seven year old Tanisha Ayuso on a farm in Esperanza Village.  On the farm, the police also uncovered a cache that included the B.D.F.’s missing high powered  M-four Carbine rifle with two magazines containing forty one rounds; one high powered M-sixteen A-two rifle with one magazine containing five, five point five-six caliber rounds; one point forty five  Auto rifle with one  magazine containing twenty point forty-five caliber rounds; one Bolt Action rifle;  twenty-one seven point six-two caliber rounds, thirty five nine millimeter  rounds, one bullet proof vest and three hundred and sixteen point one grams of cannabis; and of course a live hand held grenade.  But who gets to prosecute the third Seawell brother; Belize or the United States? That’s what News Five asked commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries after the PM’s press conference.

Crispin Jeffries, Commissioner of Police

“Mister Seawell is a person that was wanted by police for not appearing in court for drug related charges. He was also of interest to the United States Government as he is one of those persons they have on an extradition order and he is jointly named along with his brother. Mr. Seawell was found to be at a premises somewhere in the Cayo District, away from Esperanza. He was picked up for possession of drugs and the matter waiting in court.”

Jose Sanchez

Gary Seawell

“Who gets preference for Seawell? U.S. or Belize?”

Crispin Jeffries

“Belize; Mr. Seawell is a Belizean and he is in Belize and he is wanted by Belizean authorities for drug possession and for the recently discovered offences; firearm, drugs and explosives. The information we have so far is indicating that the markings are that of the British, but I have not personally, nor the ammunition technician, Colonel Jones, have we sat down and looked at that. But we are working on it. We can confirm from the markings that they are British batch grenades, but whether they are exactly that type—in fact the last two serial numbers, 02/3 are the same markings that these have and we will be looking at it closley.”

Jose Sanchez

“The M4 carbine weapon was found in his possession that went missing from the B.D.F.  Has anyone in the B.D.F. been held responsible for that weapon?”

Crispin Jeffries

“There is the old information that the B.D.F. reported the M4 carbine missing that is still underway and we believe that investigation with have somebody dealt with criminally or disciplinary.”

Jules Vasquez, Channel 7

“Are you able to say what was Mr. Seawell’s level of involvement in the criminal world, having at his disposal such hi-tech weaponry, such an armory actually?”

Crispin Jeffries

This is part of where the investigation is going; why would he be so heavily armed and what is his intention? What was his mode of operation and activities in the area in recent months? We know that well over two years he has been sought by us and we’ve mounted several operations in the last five to six months trying to cover the grounds and find his location and we were unsuccessful.”

After Seawell and Ayuso’s capture, Anthony Garnett was also caught by the police in the area while Channel Five’s cameras were rolling.  The trio was arraigned on with two counts of Keeping Prohibited Material, four counts of Keeping Prohibited Firearm, three counts of Keeping Prohibited Ammunition and two counts of Keeping Ammunition Without a Gun License. Seawell and Ayuso were additionally charged with two counts of drug trafficking and one count of Possession of a Controlled Drug.