On Saturday night at 9:45, an Orange Walk police border jumpers patrol saw a suspicious vehicle heading towards Santa Cruz, which is right across the river from Botes, Mexico. The vehicle looked to be up to shady business, but it wouldn't stop for police. The head of national crimes investigation told us more:
ACP Joseph Myvett
"Officers motioned the vehicle to stop by putting on revolving lights and trying to move ahead of the vehicle but instead the driver sped off towards Santa Cruz Village and somewhere just before reaching the bridge, he lost control and the vehicle overturned several times. With officers in pursuit, the first person to be out of the vehicle was the driver who made good his escape into the nearby bushes. Officers then attempted to rescued the other two persons on board the vehicle and their identities were learnt to be Alvaro Alfredo Lara, 30 years Guatemalan national and Vilma Bautista Choni, 32 years Guatemalan national. They didn't have any documentation stamp in their documents to indicate that they legally entered Belize so they were taken into custody where they were swabbed and later placed in quarantine."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Is there any theory what they were doing - were they trying to get to Mexico?"
ACP Joseph Myvett
"That is our belief based on some information we were working on otherwise that was their intention to go to Santa Cruz and then crossing the illegal crossing point."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"From your information had they been residing or here in Belize for sometime?"
ACP Joseph Myvett
"No, not that we know of."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"So it was like a human traffic movement or a human smuggling operation?"
ACP Joseph Myvett
"Yes, it was more a human smuggling movement."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Was the driver obviously involved, but is the driver from what you all believe, because the vehicle has to have a registration."
ACP Joseph Myvett
"Yes it does and we are following up on that. Since it happened over the weekend we had a little set back, but we've been following up on that since early this morning."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Is the driver a Belizean?"
ACP Joseph Myvett
"Yes we do believe he is. The vehicle has a Belize registration."
