Scandal; more Chinese visas and Ministry of National Security knew
Remember the recent immigration scandal? So far only six immigration officers have been charged in a human smuggling ring that was busted on October third at the Phillip Goldson International Airport. They are only the small fish in an international ring that spans Cuba, Haiti, Ecuador, Sri Lanka and China. The September and October chartered flights from Haiti are only the tip of the iceberg and the ring leaders of the complex operation have not been named. While the official probe seems to be at a standstill, News Five’s Jose Sanchez has been investigating this story and has revelations that confirm that the illegal issuance of visas has been going on long before the recent bust. Here is his report.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
The recent scandal at the Philip Goldson International Airport revealed that in September and October three flights came to Belize with Chinese Nationals that disappeared shortly after landing at the airport. Combined there were thirty-three nationals, that’s thirty-three visas. It has been described as a smuggling ring in which a few Immigration Officers have been tagged, but the big fish has not yet been identified. But our investigations show that between April 2009 and July 2010 over one hundred single entry visas were issued mainly to Chinese Nationals. On average, twelve to fourteen visas were issued per month. Here is what we found. Sixteen visas were issued in total to Sri Lankan Nationals on December seventeenth and twenty-second, 2009 as well as on April twenty-ninth, 2010. 
Those visas came through correspondence from Quito, Ecuador. Three signatures were on the documents. One of the visa forms were signed by Maria Marin for six Sri Lankan Nationals on April twenty-ninth, 2010. The visa approvals issued under the Director of Immigration’s name, Gareth Murillo, for Sri Lankan Nationals, however, appears to be fraudulent. The signature looks different from Murillo’s standard signature. Those two particular documents had a standard template for “Chinese Nationals” but the body of the text had names such as ‘Farooque Umar’ and ‘Mohammad Aasif’. These individuals made their way to Belize and no one knows where they are?
After a brief visit to the Immigration Office, Murillo did confirm his signature was forged on the two documents but the others of over a dozen were genuine. He said he would make a comparison with other signatures to see if he could find out who signed those two.
But the visas that he signed were all through communication of emails and faxes from the Embassy of Belize in Cuba. Murillo said that although he examines the issuances of visas closely, however when it pertains to the relationship with the Embassy in Cuba, any visa that he issues in conjunction with that embassy, comes under explicit directive from the Ministry of National Security. Most of visa approvals and visa verifications are similar in body and state, “Reference is made to your in respect to the above subject. Please be informed that approval is hereby granted for Single Entry Visas for Belize to be issued to the below named Chinese Nationals: Kindly issue on my behalf, Regards Gareth Murillo.” Below Murillo’s signature are copies issued to the Minister, Ministry of National Defense and Immigration; the CEO of the Ministry of Defence and Immigration; CEO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head, Special Branch, O.C., P.G.I.A.
carlos perdomo
Carlos Perdomo, Minister of National Security (File: October 13, 2010)
“As a way to helping with Chinese nationals, last week I ordered a moratorium particularly from Cuba which is a little bit close to Haiti and so forth. Just in case there might be some collusion internationally, I have ordered a moratorium on all visas of Chinese or non Cuban persons trying to obtain visas from our embassy in Cuba.”
Jose Sanchez
“Mister Perdomo, you mentioned Cuba. Why clamp down on Cuba? Does anyone in Cuba has access to those vaulted visa numbers?”
Carlos Perdomo
“No. But since we are suspecting a very large international ring and since you don’t know where they have been. The main area where they request visitor’s visa is usually from Havana. They have special arrangements to visit Havana from Mainland China.”
And the documents show that it was standard that Murillo would be directed from the Ministry of National Security to approve or verify visas on average of twelve to fourteen per month for Chinese Nationals. There were: twelve visas on August twelfth, 2009; thirteen visas on October thirtieth, 2009; fourteen visas on December sixteenth, 2009; six visas on December twenty-third, 2009, twelve visas on January eleventh, 2010, fourteen visas on February sixteenth, 2010; thirteen visas on April fourteenth, 2010; six visas on April twenty-ninth, 2010; fourteen visas on May fourteenth, 2010; twelve visas on June 2nd, 2010; four visas on July fourteenth and four more on July twenty-eighth, 2010. The documents show during the period, over one hundred and twenty visas were issued to Chinese Nationals plus sixteen more to other nationalities. There are still the thirty additional Chinese that arrived in Belize in the chartered flight from Haiti. If you do the math, there are about one hundred and sixty illegal visas issued. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
So how could the Minister of Defence say he didn’t know? How can the Minister investigate his own ministry if his office issued the directives for the visas? There’s much more in our investigations.
ABOUT ILLEGAL VISA FROM CUBA, IT HAS BEEN GOING FOR A WHILE NOW. I DONT KNOW WHY THE PM HAD TO ASSIGNED SAEED GUERRA FROM BENQUE IN CUBA. HE CHARG ES $60,000 USA FOR EACH VISA. THAT’S WHY U SEE A LOT OF ASIAN AND INDIAN PEOPLE IN BZE.
i tell you this corrupt gov. is just plain out of control where is the pm on this issue why doesnt he speak out make him account for all this corruption belizeans the person in charge of national security doesnt know how hundreds of visas are being issued come on perdomo you think all belizeans are idiots you should be put in jail for stupidity incompetence and traitarous behavior get them out people get this whole useless gov out .
Ok you guys can cut the crap sit there pretending like you don’t know what is going on with these illegal visas, now that we know that there were many more visas involved than was previously made known, we need to find out how many secret planes landed at the airport Belize now seems to be involved with terrorist accommodations having visitors from places like Sri Lanka landing and disappearing into thin air these dirty politicians will do anything for a little cash it seems and the worst part is that it is all going into their pockets it’s not doing any good for the country just giving it a bad name while they build up their wealth with ill gotten gains, I think it’s time for some serious surveillance to be undertaken on the activities going on at the Phillip Goldson International Airport.
Fools di talk but fools no di listen, We need to set up an independent group of professional law enforcement officers from the region including the good ole US of A to get to the bottom of this ring of human smugglers. By no means should we accept the Ministers investigating their own currupt ministry. Perdomo and Singh needs to go!!!!, Because of their Incompetence and Mediocre leadership style. ie,( FBI, CIA and inteligence officers from CARICOM).
From the very beginning……people on the street have been saying that the Minister should absent himself from the investigations. He was never investigating, he was covering HIS A$$ all along and implicating the lee fish. AND, it has always been said that it was just the tip of the iceberg that we were seeing……will the PM now ask for “transparency” as he promised?????
Remember that before Mr. Barrow became P.M his wealth was less than a Million dollares. Now he is over four Million. I do not think his current job pays that much. We now know that part of it comes fron the LORD. Could it be that the rest comes from visa sale?. This bunch should go to jail for illicit enrichment.
good work Jose Sanchez!! for sticking to the story and going beyond what official line is fed to the media and the public. I hope other journalists would follow. Our PM wants us to focus on BTL at the moment, but I think the media must keep reminding him of his inaugural speech where he said, at the slightest smell of corruption from his ministers heads will roll. well I think we can expect a bloodbath with these revelations
Thats a lot of money that these corrupt men have made and only to ruin the lives of innocent
Belizeans–I said it before that it’s like a game of chess. The truth is that they fail to realize that
they are been watched and it hurts when you take away a rich crooks money even if they feel
that there treasure is making interest in the Grand Cayman or Swiss account, they might not
even enjoy a red cent..
Lets do the math—from the record of this broadcast since 160 visas have been issued and
assuming that the 1st entries record of 60k per visa is legit, then they have all shared amongst
themselves over 9.6 million US dollars. These are the crooks that needs to be rounded up,
stripped from there office and imprisoned.
In the words of DR. D. J. Kennedy—–I’d rather know the saddest truth than be deluded by the
sweetest lie..
BELIZEANS GET THEM…
our system is corrupt they want the small fishes to to fry but they encourage them to do what they do..because they themselve are greedy for money.. i notice wit htis government alot of connivinig , malliciouse, petty, greedy public officer are on mein.. its so sad because so of us that wanted change felt it went from bad to worst…alot of stupidness n idleness from the higer ups to the lower… the pup are totally smart as to try and hide their wrong doings but this gov is so brazen right in front of your eyes….the pup are also the same xcept they pretent to be peerfect and respectable
No chance Cutty – they are in charge of the country, and there is no way any of them will ever get prosecuted over this, or any other multi-million dollar scams that they are into.
Placencia is next – International Airport and Cruise Ship Port. Huamn trafficking will simply shift sout, out of the public eye!
Bun fyah pan politicians!!!
Many more people are involved. No wonder our Ambassador in Cuba bought a house in Benque (100K) and paid a larger portion in CASH. This might get juicier.
If the UDP is clever they would ask Perdomo not to stand for re election because this is the type of scandal that affects every one in a governement even those who have nothing to do with the scandal. Also why is Perdomo involved in the investigation and why is Minster Singh also involved when there is a reasonable suspicion that any adverse finding against each ministry’s minister and or CEO will be watered down
There are many ministers who know bout this human smuggling, Said Guerra the ambassador in
Cuba might be the main one involved. His brother in Benque does not work at all and owns a very
nice amount of houses in Benque and is tagged with cayo west minister. so where, is he getting money. many people need 2 b investigated and not only the small fish and by an independent party free from political influence.
WHO IS/ARE THE BUSINESS LEADER THAT PRIME MINISTER DEAN BARROW SAID THAT WOULD BE CHARGED??????
WHO???? CAN THE MEDIA ASK MR. BARROW OR THE POLICE FOR THE NAME???
This international human smuggling ring have to be dismantled because the present issue right now is ILLEGAL immigrants; then it will be the DRUG LORDS, and eventually TERRORIST, that will be using our airspace and airport as route for the illegal activities.
There is certainly a cover up by authorities because this incident is an ‘International Human Smuggling Ring’; thus, requiring for the international operation to function, a well organized structure with numerous actors that have power and authority. In other words, this incident involves a great number of actors, FROM high ranking elected and appointed public officials TO low-level public officers.
If we examine the situation carefully for this illegal human trafficking ring to operate, we can observe the following points:
1.) the fake visas had genuine numbers.
Who (minister, CEO, senior official) provided the numbers for the visas, which are secured in the immigration vault and accessed by a handful of individuals? [Minister, CEO, Senior Immigration officials]
2.) the visas # had to be given from Embassies of Belize permitted to give visas
Which embassy of Belize in the Caribbean allowed to provide this service? Cuba?[Ambassadors] 3.) the airplane company is based in Santo Domigo but was charted to fly from Haiti to Belize Who charted the airplane? How the Japanese got clearance from Haiti immigration? [Foreign diplomats]
4.) The flights were schedule to fly on the schedule of certain customs officials
Who is responsible for the flight schedules to Belize? What civil aviation have to say about this? Who was at the airport tower to give the clearance for landing? which airspace did the flight used?[Civil Aviation]
5.) The flights were mainly during the evening
why was no suspicion raised? Why didn’t immigration officers got concern when they saw that there was no place of issuance of the visas? why didn’t customs officials question the tourist who didn’t had luggage? [Immigration and Custom Officers]
6.) The airport have cameras
what the driver of the transporting van have to say? why his name is not released so the media question him too? where he dropped off the supposing ‘tourist’?[taxi driver]
7.) the Chinese immigrants needed a place to sleep. who provided them with food and shelter?[Hotelier]
This briefly analysis, clearly points out that there are several suspects in this incident; including High Level Authorities of Belize. The following suspects should be questioned: minister, CEO, senior immigration officers; ambassadors; foreign diplomats; civil aviation; immigration and customs officials; taxi driver; hotelier; etc…
My recommendations:
1.) A recommendation is that an independent commission need to be establish to do the investigation because there will be a cover up because it involves elected politicians.
My recommendation is that it should not include the suspects mentioned above but the commission be composed of (i) both PUP and UDP appointed members; Belize senate, U.S. intelligence officers (just for this case); judges; senior police officers from not the district of Belize;and others. This commission has to involved different parties with different interest so that the report of the truth is non-bias.
2.) the charged immigration officers should be allowed to give a press conference
This press conference will allow the media to ask the tough question and allow the whole story to be revealed.
3.) the court should make a deal with custom officials they should be given some sort in leniency of they confess who all are involved.
This UDP government came into power by saying that: 1. Mr. Corruption will be packed and sent to fly with no return. 2. Lady Transparency will at all times show her wares. But look at what they are doing now. People say that the PM is not corrupt..man by deduction he is more than corrupt, the buck stops at the leader…if they crucified MUSA (and rightly so) for his actions and no actions in corruption so must PM Dean Oliver Barrow…and by the way where is he now …gallivanting in Miami with wify…Hope he is working hard at raising money for the hurricane victims..(pls don’t ask him..ask his CEO)
this is not the first time this the happen this so called perdomo is not doing his job i wonder if he is not involve in this caz that is most of the case here in bze. they do this caz they knw nthing will be done to them. these @#$%ing ministers da loan @#$$ noth gud fu nothing., here da bze u can do anyting once u have money den mek the d poor pples suffer @#$%. i think barrow have to someting mek he try explain to the pple or he can bust a lie caz he da wa lawyer wat u expect bez @#$% up mein
overall the comments i like the guinea grass one which sounds more with ideas that can top up the lame investigations that our local c.i.b or other investigators do. nice comments and points.
This why there is so much crime in belize, the corruption of the goverment brings crime into Belize. These Government are destroying us, were are creating monsters here and when get ready to fight them we will not have the power to do it, just like what is happening in Mexico
The actions in the immigration department has been going on for a long time now. These immigrations are hustling money from visitors in all the borders here in Belize. In some instances I witness myself. Some of these officers has to be fired and sent to jail for their actions. I really hate the idea that they are just being charged?