If you tuned in to Wednesday's episode of Uncut, you'll definitely remember some of the sparring between host Jules Vasquez and Police Commissioner Chester Williams. They were going over a few of the details connected to the "Bladen 11" who have been charged in connection with the landing of that drug plane on the Southern Highway last Thursday night.
that 11 includes several police officers who have been implicated in that illicit operation, and they are on remand at the Belize Central Prison. Once again, lawmen are being accused of facilitating drug plane landings in Belize, and this time, these officers are being accused of ending up in a gunfight with their fellow police officers.
On Wednesday, Jules challenged the ComPol on the implications of the involvement of police in cartel business, and here's that back and forth:
Jules Vasquez - Uncut Host
"Do you accept that in almost every landing, law enforcement is involved?"
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"I would say, [the] possibility, yes, and you're right. The..."
Jules Vasquez
"How do you weed out all of these corrupt cops?"
Chester Williams
"We have to find them, and again - that's one of the reasons why I'm saying that what happened Thursday, we should be happy because we're finding these officers, and we'll weed them out. But, going back to what we said, when you have people who work in operation units, particularly those who are involved in these drug operations, they are the most attractive to the cartels, and that's the reason why we have to make sure that we have officers there who have strong integrity, good moral values, to be able to resist the temptation of the cartels."
Jules Vasquez
"Is the FIU looking into the accounts of these men?"
Chester Williams
"Yes, that is a part of our investigation too, but to finish what I'm saying. They do need the police to provide security, yes. They do need police-."
Jules Vasquez
"To leak information."
Chester Williams
"To provide information to them to know the whereabouts of operation teams during the operations. They need heavy equipment to build these runways - in some instances because we have seen where they don't any runway. They just land their planes any damn way, right. But, there are several factors that really and truly need to be looked at. But, internally, from a policing perspective, we really and truly need to look at our people. I honestly believe when you have officers working in the north, they should not be there more than 2 years because the northern part of the country has this close nexus with Mexico, the cartels. It would be easy for them to come across cartels and perhaps be influenced to be a part of the cartel's operation. So, that is something we have to look at as well because that is the main area, and we're seeing where the cartels are moving closer and closer to Chetumal."
