The suspension of Chi and Anthony follows a fourteen-million-dollar drug bust on Sunday. A small aircraft originating from Venezuela was confiscated by police in the Tres Leguas area, Blue Creek where there have been multiple landings of bigger drug planes found abandoned. It carried an estimated one thousand two hundred and twenty-six pounds of cocaine. […]
Chief Executive Officer George Lovell, of the Ministry of National Security, says that the illegal landing of aircrafts in northern Belize prompted the police department to ramp up anti-drug operations across the country, particularly in the Orange Walk District. The success of this weekend’s bust was, in part, attributed to residents in the area who […]
Is Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie related to disgraced Police Constable Norman Anthony? It’s a claim that he categorically refuted during a press conference earlier today, admitting that while the officer is also from Lemonal Village, he is in fact a very distant relative of his wife. ComPol Whylie also spoke of the quantity of […]
While police were busy in Belize City securing the seizure of the bales of cocaine and detaining the quartet believed to be involved in the landing and offloading of the drug plane, another in-flight aircraft had its coordinates set on the Blue Creek area. The plane hovered over the vicinity but never landed. With all […]
A major heist took place in the wee hours of Sunday morning at the Benque Free Zone at the Western Border. Masked men targeted Kortobacco Belize Limited and stole more than eight hundred thousand Belize dollars. According to police, in a one-hour period, four masked men were captured by security cameras breaking into the building. […]
The carnival road march went off without bloodshed, but around nine on Saturday night, a Crooked Tree resident was shot and killed on Baldwin Drive. Twenty-four-year-old Anthony McDonald was wounded multiple times on his head and shoulders and died on the spot. McDonald had relocated to Crooked Tree to escape the dangerous streets of the […]
The Police Department may have intercepted yet another illegal drug activity on Friday. Word to News Five is that the department received a tip on the movement of two Benque Viejo residents, who were in possession of a large quantity of money. The men were heading to Orange Walk when they were nabbed at a […]
A trio of thieves netted a sizeable haul this morning, ahead of the extended carnival weekend and tenth holiday, during an armed robbery at Premium Wines and Spirits on Newtown Barracks. Sometime around ten-thirty, the men, both of whom were brandishing firearms, entered the premises and demanded money. They then proceeded to the offices and […]
There is growing concern within the legal fraternity regarding the recent declaration of a state of public emergency in the George Street and Mayflower Street communities. The Bar Association of Belize this afternoon issued a release essentially reiterating the position that the Human Rights Commission of Belize has taken, in respect of the new measure […]
The legal basis for establishing the state of public emergency in two areas is coming under question in many quarters. Defense Attorney Dickie Bradley, is also opposing the state of emergency in the south side. He has been a long standing advocate for rights guaranteed under the constitution. He says the arrests are not the […]
As we have reported, over a hundred persons were detained since the morning of September fifth, including adults and minors following the signing of the proclamation by the Governor General on September fourth. According to Bradley, he along with several other attorneys, is reviewing the law and is prepared to represent persons who have been […]
We did find today support for the proclamation by Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia. He has no problem with the Governor General invoking the constitutional powers to address the issue of crime; despite the fact that persons are being locked down for thirty days without any charges or being taken to court. Here’s what he […]
In the three days since the government declared a state of public emergency in Mayflower and George Street areas, masked law enforcement officers have barged into the homes of residents in search of gang members. According to Acting Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, they know who the ‘players’ are and it is those persons who […]
This leads us to a joint operation between San Ignacio Police and officers of the Special Branch Unit which resulted in the discovery of several high powered firearms and ammunition in Cayo District on Thursday afternoon. Police report that the operation was conducted at around twelve thirty p.m. in a bushy area in the Shawville […]
The magnitude of the sweeping measures imposed under the state of public emergency in two zones of the city, is already causing disquiet in the affected neighbourhoods. In less than forty-eight hours since the Statutory Instrument was signed, declaring George Street and the Mayflower area as emergency zones, police have descended on dozens of persons. […]
In the George Street area, the new realities under the state of public emergency is also causing havoc. Residents say they are left exposed to the brute force used by the police to round up suspects. Grieving families, as well as others who claim no gang affiliation have been caught in the police dragnet. More […]
In October 2011, Prime Minister Dean Barrow introduced, but retracted a bill on preventative detention due to public outcry. It was seen as too draconian a measure and at the time the government vowed not to bring it back. Since the state of public emergency was declared, the Human Rights Commission of Belize is among […]
The Human Rights Commission of Belize says it is looking at the legal foundation of the public emergency and monitoring the measures being taken on the ground. While Attorney Arthurs says that criminals should not be allowed to wantonly impose terror on the Belizean population, there are other legal tools available other than invoking a […]
You’ve heard residents and advocates of human rights express concern about the hard-line approach to tackle crime in the Old Capital. The argument is that human rights are being suspended and that other pieces of legislation could have been used that would produce the results without infringing on the rights of persons who live in […]
And if you have concerns about the annual Carnival Road March taking place on Saturday, the police say that you should have no fear. As you may have noticed, the carnival route this year will pass through a section of the emergency zone in south side Belize City, but the police department says that they […]
The Leader of the Opposition, John Briceño, on Wednesday, criticized the government’s decision to declare a state of public emergency in two gang areas of south side Belize City. Briceño says that the murderous weekend that gave way to the emergency measures was the direct result of G.O.B.’s abandonment of the area and that the […]
Two gang infested areas in the south side of Belize City are under state of emergency following a murderous weekend in which six persons were killed mostly due to gang rivalry. The areas encompass George and Banak Streets where gang rivalry has escalated among the two groups. The operations began as soon as a statutory […]
As we said, over a hundred persons from both areas have since been detained and are in holding cells across the city. About seventy-five, including adults and minors, are expected to be moved to the Central Prison; the others will be released. The group will be in lockdown without being charged for any crime meaning […]
In recent times, there has been an increase in persons accused of murder, who go before the court, secure bail and get their release. Minister of National Security John Saldivar says that an amendment to the gang legislation was tabled at last Friday’s house meeting to make it difficult for bad elements to get bail. […]
There have been mounting reports of police brutality and the abuse of power at the hands of the Gang Suppression Unit. There is concern that the declaration of a state of public emergency on the south side may provide rogue cops with the legal authority to use excessive force against the citizenry. Now, the proclamation […]
