So, while that was our conversation with the Police Commissioner this afternoon, we got an opportunity to speak this morning with the Minister of National Defence and the Commander of the Belize Defence Force.
It's a mixed bag for the BDF. Yes, no less than the Commander's driver was caught allegedly moving illici drugs. But, on the upside, BDF teams assisted the police in carrying out the interdiction. Secondly, the Joint Intelligence and Operations Center, JIOC, which is an important part of the security forces' intelligence arm, tracked the drug plane and informed the law enforcement authorities.
Here's the conversation we had with both military officials this morning before more details were revealed later in the day:
Hon. Florencio Marin Jr - Minister of Defense
"The investigation is ongoing. So, my comments will be very limited, but I just want to congratulate the teams who were able to successfully interdict the drugs that came in. But, I do have to be limited in my comments because it's ongoing right now as we speak."
Reporter
"Sir, we understand, unfortunately though, that lawmen including a member of the BDF were supposedly found in the general area of the drug. Can you confirm?"
Hon. Florencio Marin Jr
"No, I cannot confirm because I have heard it as well. It has not been confirmed to me, but I want to assure you. We will fully cooperate with all investigations necessary, and let the chips fall where they may."
Reporter
"Are you able to confirm if illicit cargo was retrieved from the area?"
Hon. Florencio Marin Jr.
"Yes, we heard some bails were recovered."
Reporter
"Cocaine."
Hon. Florencio Marin Jr.
"Yes, that's what I heard."
Reporter
"It must be distressing to you that a lawman under your command is being implicated."
Brig. Gen. Steven Ortega - Commander, BDF
"It is very distressing. I mean, it is not only distressing for me, but for the entire force because we're a professional organization, and we don't expect - our troops aren't trained to be on the other side of the law. We're trained to uphold the law. So, it is a very, very distressing time."
Reporter
"Sir, are you be able to confirm whether or not your driver was detained as part of that operation to intercept that..."
Brig. Gen. Steven Ortega
"Yes. Yes, he was."
Reporter
"Okay, he still works for you?"
Brig. Gen. Steven Ortega
"Well, he was my driver."
Reporter
"Was."
Brig. Gen. Steven Ortega
"Was, because I can't have a driver being detained by the police for such actions."
Reporter
"What else can you tell us about the details of that drug interdiction?"
Brig. Gen. Steven Ortega
"Normally, the police would be the ones who follow it up because they are the ones who track it throughout. But, our Joint Intelligence and Operation Center are the ones who continuously track these aircrafts coming. And then, we deploy the deterrent patrols out. And, should it make a landing, as this one did, early this morning, we try our best to intercept. And, we intercepted this one with some personnel. So, it is a very successful day for us as well."
Reporter
"There's always been the suspicion - never confirmed really, that lawmen are supposedly facilitators, and that is the reason why our authorities tend to arrive after these planes land, or after the cargo is offloaded. What are your comments on that, given this morning's discovery?"
Brig. Gen. Steven Ortega
"Well, I don't know how much you know about the Force, but these operations are very secret. So, it is not open to everyone. The only persons who know about it are the persons who are going out on those operations. Would you think that a member of the Force would get caught, or a member of the police force would get caught if they knew about the operation? So evidently, there is a level of secrecy involved, otherwise, they would all get away. But, that's not the case in terms of the planes getting away. It's just that we can't cover all the places at the same time."
