For the past 11 days, we've been closely following the saga between the beer company, Caribbean International Brewery Company, and Belizean law enforcement.
The company took a significant hit to its reputation after being subjected to a 2-day multi-agency raid on their Carmelita Village Factory and compound, led by police and the Anti-Trafficking In Persons Unit. The authorities confiscated 3.1 million dollars of the company's money on the suspicion that it may be the proceeds of crime. They also charged nine employees with immigration offenses.
Those employees are out on bail, and the company's attorneys are now locked in a court battle with the Financial Intelligence Unit over whether or not the confiscated cash will remain on lockdown for the next three months.
Today, the case took one more interesting turn when the company's owner, Kevin Xin, and his fiancee were arraigned. Xin is a naturalized citizen who has called Belize home for 20+ years. We understand he was one of the first investors in the Corozal Free Zone.
7News was at the Orange Walk Magistrate's Court this morning when the beer company's owner was released on bail, and he made a few choice comments about all these legal troubles. Daniel Ortiz has that story:
Kevin Xin, Owner, Caribbean International Brewery Co. Ltd
"I am from the Caribbean International Brewery Company, and I want to tell you that we are always following the law. I am a Belizean, and I love Belize. I have invested my life savings with other Belizean investors to build the Caribbean International Brewery. We are making a lot of work opportunities [available] for over 80 Belizeans and pay a few million in taxes to the Government every year. We established a charity foundation to help people and public institutions in need. I still believe that the law will give me and the Caribbean International Brewery Company justice. I think [that] Belize really needs a better investment environment to attract investment and to help new businesses and investors grow and develop."
These were the first words of optimism that Kevin Xin, the owner of Caribbean International Brewery, shared with our 7News team shortly after he and his fiancée, Liping Shu, were released on bail from the Orange Walk Magistrate's Court.
They were both arraigned on immigration charges, which were filed today. Xin was read nine counts of the offense of employing persons not in possession of an employment permit. He's being charged in connection with the eight other employees of the company who have been arraigned.
Richard "Dickie" Bradley, Attorney for the Defendants
"Big boss is only charged because he is the owner of Caribbean Brewery. The charge is that some of the Chinese were workers. You can't charge the Chinese and make allegations that they are working and then who have them working?"
And in an interesting twist, they are linking his fiancée, Liping Shu, to those other employees who are charged. Shu was charged with failing to comply with the conditions of her visitor's permit.
The authorities are alleging that she is among the company's employees who are not in good legal standing with Belize's immigration laws. Well, the defense attorneys say Belizean law enforcement couldn't be any more mistaken about the reason she's in Belize. She came to visit her fiancé, and now, she finds herself in all these legal troubles.
Marcel Cardona, Attorney for Defendants
"Miss Lucy was charged with a similar offense as to that of 8 previous workers that were brought in last week, and of course Miss Lucy is a lawful visitor in the country. She came in to visit her boyfriend who happens to be the lawful owner of the company and there is nothing, absolutely nothing illegal in her travelling abroad to come and visit her boyfriend in Belize. Now, it has me completely confused as to why the authorities would have chosen to put a charge on her that she is working illegally in the country of Belize when she's not an owner but the fiancé of the owner of the factory. She is here as his lawful guest."
Richard "Dickie" Bradley, Attorney for the Defendants
"Marcel is expressing having spoken with Miss Liping who is a permanent resident of Canada who just came to Belize at the ending of September to visit her fiancé. Her passport which the immigration has possession of shows that she's a regular visitor, she's not here to work. You're not going up and down all the way from Canada and America to come to work. He's employing over 80 Belizean people, he doesn't need to spend $10-$12,000 USD to bring a worker to Belize to work, because we look for work, we are begging for work. If he gives me a list right now and says, 'I want 20 people', I'll bring 40 people from Belize City who will work at the Brewery."
Marcel Cardona, Attorney for Defendants
"This is a clear example of how the authorities have gone to stretch the facts, to twist the facts in fact, to twist it to suit their narrative."
Reliable sources tell us that Liping, was scheduled to leave Belize a few days after the raid at the beer company's compound. We are told that she is experiencing some personal health issues and was consulting with a doctor in her home country of Canada, where she has permanent residence. But she couldn't leave because the Immigration Department seized her travel documents.
The company owner is concerned about her well-being and about the well-being of his employees, who may have to be laid off.
Kevin Xin, Owner, Caribbean International Brewery Co. Ltd
"I will try my best to do what I can to keep the factory open. I think it's good for the Belizeans. Thank you all for your concern and support for the Caribbean International Brewery Company."
Richard "Dickie" Bradley, Attorney for the Defendants
"You don't go and spend almost $10 million dollars to put in a Brewery. You have soft drinks; you have mineral water. Did you know that the water under Carmelita Village is wanted by all the top water companies in the world? They want to get that water because the scientists have come and tested. He believes when the matter comes to court, the evidence will not stand up. Caribbean International Brewery have no reason to break the law, no reason to have people working who doesn't have any proper documentation. That is just so unfair, and we have particularly hurt him because Liping is, as my colleague has emotionally said to you, Liping came to visit her fiancé, how are you so eager you know. They are so used to rounding up illegal people that they just round up everyone."
Both Xin and Shu were arraigned this morning before Magistrate Deborah Rogers. They both pleaded not guilty to the offenses. Xin was released on bail of $6,000, while Shu was released on bail of $7,500. She was ordered to surrender travel documents to the court - documents that were already in the custody of the Immigration Department. The Magistrate has ordered that disclosure be granted to the defendants in this case by the end of next month.
