Five kilos of suspected cocaine recovered during accident

Drug trafficking charges are expected to be brought against the driver of a red vehicle bearing a Dangriga license plate which was being pursued by undercover police in the Lake Independence area on Wednesday afternoon.  The vehicle was followed as it made its way across Belcan Bridge to the roundabout and onto the Northern Highway where it made a stop at the Texaco Gas Station near the Belize Bank.  Diego Witz then allegedly got out of the red car and got into a white two-door Ford. He was reportedly observed stuffing something into his pants. Witz got into the white car and the red car then drove off.  During the high speed chase along Partridge Street a Toyota Hilux driven by police officers collided into a green Land Rover Discovery at the corner of Vernon Street.  Inside the Hilux was Assistant Superintendent of Police Alford Grinage.  Grinage, who was knocked unconscious, was admitted to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.  A second police vehicle continued the chase and intercepted the white car.  A search conducted on the vehicle resulted in the discovery of a red knapsack containing a black plastic bag with five brown “BOSS” brand parcels suspected to be cocaine and six thousand dollars, US currency in different denominations.  Witz, who resides in Punta Gorda, was found allegedly in possession of five kilograms of suspected cocaine. Witz, the vehicle and its contents were escorted to the Queen Street Police Station where the drugs were weighed and sealed. He was subsequently arrested and charged for the offence of Drug Trafficking.  The estimated street value of the drugs is in the area of a hundred thousand Belize dollars.