A saga that started out in October of last year has ended in embarrassment for the government. Caribbean International Brewery Company Limited, which brews Mine Beer among others, has been vindicated in court, again.
And this time, 3.1 million dollars was at stake. When we first reported on the story in October of 2022, a two-day multi agency raid of the factory in Carmelita village had turned up 3.1 million dollars in cash stowed in a safe.
The money was confiscated to see if it was the legitimate business proceeds and on the suspicions that it could be the product of money laundering or tax evasion. While the FIU investigated, there was a mighty battle in the Orange Walk Magistrate's court between Dean Barrow - who appeared for Caribbean Brewery and Godfrey Smith for the FIU. The judge ruled in favor of the FIU which held onto the money while they investigated.
But today after two extensions her patience ran out. She denied the FIU another 6 month extension and ordered that they return the cash to Mine Beer. In the nine months since November, they had not established any connection to any illegal acts - neither tax evasion nor money laundering - and she found they had no reason to further hold onto the money. She added that the FIU's request for another extension had the appearance of a fishing expedition by the FIU.
With that, the entire fuss over the brewery has ended in a big bag of nothing, since Immigration charges against employees were also dropped a few weeks ago.
The company is now negotiating with the FIU on how to return the funds.
