We've heard of the Police Department's Mobile Interdiction Team, but now there's a Vegetable Interdiction Team!? That's the news coming out of the Ministry of Agriculture is under pressure to crack down on the trade in contraband vegetables.
They have now established a vegetable interdiction team to combat the ongoing contraband within the agricultural sector. It's a multi agency team comprising Customs, BAHA, The Belize Marketing and Development Corporation, and police officers from the original Mobile Interdiction Team.
So, what are they looking for? According to the release, they're going to the markets where illegal vegetables and fruits are routinely sold.
So far, increased surveillance operations in the north led to the confiscation of approximately 1,278 pounds of cabbage, 2,253 pounds of onions, 983 pounds of tomatoes, 86 pounds of habanero peppers and 130 pounds of sweet peppers, valued at $16,190.40.
A stern warning says that anyone caught with illegally contraband vegetables and fruits, they will be confiscated and fined.
