Cuban and Mexican nationals taken to court
Cuban nationals twenty-nine-year-old Miguel Rodriguez and twenty-nine-year-old Henry Reyes, arrested by San Ignacio police on Tuesday, have been transferred to Benque Viejo del Carmen where they were arraigned for illegal entry into Belize. Their handlers, Mexican couple Vladimir Gonzalez and his wife Delia Iglesias, have been charged for aiding and abetting their unlawful entry. While the couple has been fined, their Cuban charges remain in police custody after being unable to pay their fines. Inspector Reymundo Reyes, Deputy Officer Commanding San Ignacio Police gave News Five an update.
Via Phone: Insp. Reymundo Reyes, Deputy O.C., San Ignacio Police
“All four persons were taken in front of the magistrate in Benque Viejo Magistrate’s Court. The Mexicans, they were charged for aiding the illegal people into the country of Belize. They were fined two thousand five hundred each. For the Cubans who were charged for illegal entry, they pled guilty and they were charged one thousand seven hundred dollars each. So far we have understood that the Mexicans have already paid their fines each and they have been released from custody, but for the Cubans I am not certain whether they have paid their fee at the moment.”
Reporter
Reymundo Reyes
“So they remain in detention in Benque Viejo now or do they go back to San Ignacio?”
Via phone: Insp. Reymundo Reyes
“Well presently, they are not here in San Ignacio, at the San Ignacio Police Station. I believe they are detained at the Benque Viejo Police Station.”
Reporter
“With regards to an operation that was ran yesterday to try and see if there are other Mexicans involved in this ongoing human trafficking ring, was there any success with regards to that operation?”
Via phone: Insp. Reymundo Reyes
“No umm. Checks were made within San Ignacio and so forth, but so far, we don’t have nobody else in custody with respect to the incident.”
An operation conducted by San Ignacio police in the downtown area on Wednesday to locate other suspected Cuban nationals being smuggled through Belize turned up fruitless.
