It’s Christmas, and for Contrabandistas that’s the season to hustle and flow. But just as the contraband man gives, the Customs Department takes away.
As is normal at this time of year, Customs has increased its enforcement activities. And while the exercise may have just started there have been contraband crackdown successes.
Today, 7News was shown the contraband items recovered from vehicles searched at Boom/Hattieville checkpoints and operations conducted throughout the Belize District.
Ian Haylock, the officer in charge of Belize City Customs Investigation Unit, gave us the grand tour.
Ian Haylock, O.C, Customs Investigation Unit, Belize City
“These items were found with people smuggling from vehicles and searches made at houses as well as custom check points."
Jacqueline Godwin, 7News
“How difficult is it for you guys?”
Ian Haylock, O.C, Customs Investigation Unit, Belize City.
“It is pretty difficult because we all know from time to time exactly when we stopped people and search at vehicle checks, people often say we are trying to stretch our dollars. We understand the nature of economics but at the same time we have a duty to perform and most of the stuff that are being smuggled are high value items for example liquor, cigarettes, beer and of course the nuisance items, firecrackers and dynamites. And from time to time people tend to oppose to having customs in the area doing searches but we try to explain to them what is the nature of our jobs and most of all these are un-customed goods, they have not paid duty.”
“We would like to appeal to the general public to refrain from dealing in un-customed goods and most of all smuggling. And we are trying to appeal to them to at least go to the border points, pay their duties ensure that when customs stop them at any check point or any searches, that their goods are not un-customed goods."
Jacqueline Godwin, 7News
“And the items are coming from Mexico, Guatemala where are they coming from?”
Ian Haylock, O.C, Customs Investigation Unit, Belize City
“Most of the items we have confiscated so far are items from Mexico as well as items from Guatemala.”
And while that’s the scrooge side of the Customs Department, they were also playing nice today with a children’s party and we’ll show you that later on.
