And maybe those women were trying to stock up on booze before the holiday season because they knew the Christmas dry season was on its way.
That's right, police plan to enforce all the liquor laws on the books and that means a dry Christmas for many.
That means all nightclubs have to close at midnight on Christmas Eve - and all concerts and other outdoor events also have to pull the plug at midnight.
Those regulations had many in the tourist and entertainment industry up in arms last night and even though the police have granted some special exemptions like the one the COMPOL promised to the island of San Pedro, there are other tourist hubs that will be left dry and in the difficult position of explaining the rules to their foreign patrons.
And if you're a citizen of Belize you might be used to this annual "morality farce" and prepared to buy your alcohol before the clock strikes 10:00 on Christmas Eve. But some in the restaurant, bar, and entertainment business aren't too happy about this annual state of affairs.
This morning we spoke with well-known entertainer DJ Dalla who says enough with the old school rules already it's high season and there's money to be made.
Troy "DJ Dalla" Flowers, Entertainer
"I think it's maybe half-sided in terms of first of all I see certain parts of the country is getting a chance to do events and they are other parts of the country that are being locked down so I think it's unfair on that part, noh."
"This is my, this is our bread and butter and for me, I am not working on Christmas eve or Christmas Day but there have been so many promoters and club owners that have paid for posters, we have already booked DJ's, we have already paid for this, we've already bought stock, I mean you can't just come at the last minute I mean th laws in this country they are as old as Jules, they antiquated, they're outdated like we need to revisit it and I think our leaders need to, not because we come on television or on social media, we're not bashing them we have to find a common ground I mean you can walk back on these things but it's unfair to have San Pedro, I see Dangriga, and then you don't have Cayo, Hopkins. Imagine if you're a tourist and you said I want to come somewhere for Christmas I came to Belize for Christmas and you heard that of you can't go anywhere because they are locked down, you can't do this in Hopkins, you can't do this in Cayo you can't, well what will you do, if we are attracting tourists then we have to be open. I mean I understand the Christians want to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ but at the end of the day you have to strike a balance, they are going to where you call it Guatemala and they're going to Cancun."
"Your saying you're driving the local business, you want to drive the local economy, Christmas is a time when a lot of people come home even family members, when a nightclub is an open press or a bar people buy clothes, people use the tax service, you have vendors outside. You're talking about Bowen and Bowen, Traveller's, all these companies, they don't drive on just the sales of alcohol or beers they drive on it's sales and that is why they can keep their staff employed."
"Who wants to go to church, go to church will go. I will go to church as the COMPOL says, I might meet the COMPOL there but strike a balance, strike a balance with the people and even have a dialogue with us because you can't just go and just hammer this down, people have investments already made."
