Tonight, again, there is a swirl of speculation about police involvement in narco trafficking. This is after a kilo of cocaine was found yesterday - allegedly being trafficked by an ex cop who had just dropped off a police friend at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan.
A special team stopped 53 year old former Sergeant of Police, Hilbert Inez Castillo in his Toyota Wingle near Ring Road around 5:00 yesterday.
They had intelligence and had been trialing him for some time. Those suspicions were confirmed when the cops found a cocaine brick wrapped up and tucked behind the front seat in the rear cab of the pickup.
Castillo has been charged for drug trafficking and is remanded tonight. But, his arrest took investigators right back to the Police Training Academy where he had dropped off an officer at the living quarters of the Commander of the academy.
In a press briefing an hour ago, the new Commander of Operations, Alford Grinage who worked on the arrest told us about the academy connection - and what they did to make sure no drugs came out of the living quarters:
ACP Alford Grinage - Commander Operations
"During our investigation yesterday it was learned that Mr. Castillo had dropped a senior retired officer yesterday at the police training academy. As such upon the commissioner being informed of such, they instructed he went to the resident of the commandant of the police training academy residence, that the search be conducted on that premises which was done. I instructed that the canine section proceeded to the resident along with the officers after which a search was conducted in that premises but nothing illegal was found on that premises."
Reporter
"Is it believed that this particular kilo that was found in this vehicle may have been from the Bladen drug plan landing, has that been determined as yet?"
ACP Alford Grinage
"No sir, it's certainly not because all the drugs from the Bladen drug bust has been destroyed except for samples that was taken out of those packages that will be kept in police custody as evidence to proceed at court. Also the brand of that specific parcel is different from those ones that were found at the Bladen."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir when one Kilo of cocaine street value is probably 20-25 thousand Belize dollars, I would want to think one wants to move illicit cargo, you want to move sharp, you no want the hang up and boy I come hail you, I come drop off so and so, aren't those actions inconsistent with someone who is allegedly drug tracking? Might this not indicate that perhaps he went into the training academy to pick up the cocaine."
ACP Alford Grinage
"Well that has not been ascertained during the investigation. I know that he and the individual that we spoke about, who retired yesterday are friends and we can't say what was the purpose of him dropping him off at the training school but the fact that he did, we didn't want to take no chances for speculation hence the reason as I mentioned we went ahead and searched the residence."
Jules Vasquez
"It is unusual for people who have a kilo of cocaine in their vehicle to be moving about in a casual way and to be go into guarded compound which is full of police. Either you have the face of brass or you picked up the kilo in there."
ACP Alford Grinage
"We are certain that he did not pick up the kilo in the compound there Jules because he entered the compound but he did not enter the residence, he just dropped off this friend the retired officer."
Jules Vasquez
"Has that officer been questioned even though he retired yesterday and they were at the quarters of another officer, have they been questioned about if they had any knowledge that the man had a kilo of cocaine in his vehicle?"
ACP Alford Grinage
"Yes sir, even though he retired yesterday he cooperated and he said he had no knowledge of that, including the commandant had no knowledge that drugs were with that individual."
Jules Vasquez
"But sir these people are blood relatives."
ACP Alford Grinage
"That doesn't say because we are blood relatives Jules that if you have something I have to be knowledgeable of it."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you able to say where these drugs may have been coming from?"
ACP Alford Grinage
"I don't like to speculate but from the drugs that were found, that is the same type we recovered from the plane that fell in the sea in Placencia, that's the same brand."
Jules Vasquez
"Is this person a known trafficker or moves in these circles?"
ACP Alford Grinage
"Not that we know of this time Mr. Jules, we know that he had been a very good police officer during his service and myself was surprised to have known that he was caught with drugs at this time. Let me just say this on the record that if any of those officers that named called yesterday if they were a part of that sting, connected somehow with that drugs, I would have been the first to arrested them because I was present there and we wouldn't tolerate things like that to occur at our academy. So, I assure the public that no drugs was at the commandant residence and in such we would have detained who was responsible."
The officer who Castillo dropped off at the Academy happened to have retired yesterday. And, as you heard, the commander is his relative - and they all have Seine Byte roots.
