He bought his Belizean citizenship as Jorge Moreno, but his real name is Jorge Manuel Torres Teyer, a drug kingpin from Mexico's Juarez Cartel. He was expelled from Belize in August of 2001 and he's been in the United States since then, on trial for narcotics importation and firearm offences.
Yesterday in Manhattan federal court, Torres was sentenced to 38 years in prison. In his sentencing, U.S. District Judge Gerard Lynch noted that Torres Teyer was responsible for trying to obstruct justice by attempting to bribe a Belizean judge to secure a release from a Belizean prison before he was expelled to the United States which is the first time that claim has emerged publicly in Belize. Lynch also noted that Torres Teyer was a significant player in the drug trade responsible for shipping 30 tons of cocaine into the United States between June of 2000 and October of 2001.
According to a release from the U.S. attorney's office, Torres Teyer's cell of the Juarez cartel operated in Quintana Roo and Belize, and was, "assisted by corrupt military and police officials in both countries."
The drugs were brought in from Colombia on the high seas of Belize, and then relayed to Calderitas where they were then transferred to land and transported to the United States by ground crews. Moreno was granted Belizean citizenship in October of 2001 and was apprehended shortly after during Hurricane Iris when police on a routine patrol caught him driving up stop on George Street where he'd gone to purchase some marijuana. They sensed that he was acting suspiciously and took him back to his apartment in the Benny's Building where they found 1 ½ tons of cocaine piled up to the ceiling.
After the arrest, the then Ministry of National Security bowed to pressure from the United States and retired a member of the police senior command, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hugh Cain. The DEA claimed to have videotapes of Moreno and Cain meeting at the Princess Hotel and Casino.
Also, alleged local counterparts George Herbert and Liston McCord were hustled off to the United States to build the case against Moreno. McCord worked with U.S. authorities, but Herbert is still fighting his case. The Belize Supreme Court found that Belize police violated Herbert's constitutional rights when it basically abducted both men on behalf of the United States. The court ordered that a review be made of commissioner's conduct in the matter but to our knowledge no such review has proceeded.