Operation Incisive Gallop; B.D.F. destroy illegal vegetable farms in Chiquibul

In April, Belize Defence Force personnel were called off operations in Belize City. The rationale was that border patrols would be beefed up to detect and counter illicit incursions. Today, via press release, the B.D.F. informed on one successful operation since then called Incisive Gallop. The operation was conducted at the end of May in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, in the areas of Cebada, Sapote and Valentin Camp. The purpose was to deter, detect and detain persons engaged in activities which break immigration and forestry laws. No arrests were recorded, but the soldiers destroyed twenty-five illegally cultivated fields, with pumpkin, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, cassava, plantain and bananas. The B.D.F. also prepared a video record of the operation, or at least parts of it, complete with accompanying music.

{Video of destruction of cultivation fields in Chiquibul…}

You’ll note that the destruction of marijuana fields was featured prominently in the video. In March, an interagency operation resulted in the destruction of thirty-five marijuana fields, with a value of close to five million dollars. US Army helicopter support was present on the operation.