Export processing zones are set up as one of government's investment incentives but these companies enjoy what is known as supra-legal status, meaning that they are above domestic law. But there are laws and conditions that these EPZ companies have to obey and tonight 7NEWS has learnt that police are investigating a Ladyville EPZ for irregularities.
A company, operating out of the Data Pro Export Processing Park, which sells prescription drugs over the internet is being investigated for the suspected manufacturing and exportation of controlled class C drugs for which they have not been granted a license. It's a quite significant multi-agency investigation that will require the cooperation of medical, customs, and police departments with support from the Attorney General's Ministry and BELTRAIDE. Police have information from their U.S. counterparts that the company may have run afoul of federal authorities.
Keith Swift Reporting from Data Pro Park,
Yesterday that information led police here to the Data Pro Export Processing Park in Ladyville. We can't say which one it is because these buildings carry no name but yesterday police staged a raid of one of the properties on here and confiscated a stash of prescription drugs. Those drugs have now been sent to the Forensic Lab in Belize City for testing.
We have also learnt that these same drugs have been under scrutiny also from U.S. authorities who suspect that the mixtures within the drugs may not comply with Food and Drug Administration standards.
While 7NEWS has confirmed form multiple senior sources that yesterday police were at the Data Pro Export Processing Zone, a Data Pro Representative today flatly denied that report. She also insisted that police have not taken any prescription drugs from any company there. Still, according to our information, tests have turned up an amount of drugs that are classified as class "C" drugs under the misuse of drugs act which are prohibited. It is now up to the company to prove it has a license to possess and manufacture using those drugs.
In an unrelated story, 7NEWS has received other information that police are also investigating the appearance of a suped-up, high grade version of Viagra that has appeared on the city streets, specifically in the Victoria street area. So far the source of the prescription drug has not been determined but police believe it is being illegally manufactured in and smuggled out of the Corozal Free Zone.