Tonight 21 persons are in custody at the Orange Walk police station after the Police Mobile Interdiction Team busted what appears to be a human smuggling operation last night.
At around 9:00, the MIT and Customs were on joint patrol in the Posito Area of Orange Walk Town a team saw 2 private vehicles drive up followed two large cargo vans. The MIT activated and set chase after a white van, a black van, a blue F150 pickup and a grey Nissan Xterra. First they intercepted the white van driven by a Belmopan resident. But, they had to chase the pickup and the SUV where both vehicles darted into a cane field and two men dashed off but they were quickly apprehended. They were also Belizeans from Orange Walk.
Nothing was found inside the vehicles but the police went to a few nearby hiding areas and found 16 Cubans and 2 Nicaraguans hiding out.
They range in age from 19 to 57 years old. They were detained along with the three Belizeans believed to be human smugglers.
They remain detained tonight and reports say the Belizeans could face charges which are being developed by ATIPS - the anti - trafficking in personS unit.
