And in more encouraging news of two law enforcement arms working together, as we told you on Monday night a joint BDF and police patrol made a major weapon bust alongside the banks of the Mopan River near Guatemala.
They saw a Hispanic man fleeing from the bush towards the river escaping across a flooded river to go back over to Guatemala. The patrol then found a bag was in the bushes with a large stash of ammunition and a weapon.
We asked the Commissioner if this kind of cross border arms smuggling is common:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"It is indeed an area of concern to us. There are many other areas along the Belize western border. The whole area of Arenal is also of concern. This area where those ammunitions were found were more on the Xunantunich side."
"And we do have patrols in the area from MIT that works along with Customs because it is also a focus for the human trafficking or yhe human smuggling route. And so we always try to maintain presence there."
"And perhaps those ammunitions were being placed there to be collected by some Belizean to be brought into the country. So it was a good find for us that we were able to find them and take possession of them before they got into the hands of criminals."
"But certainly I wouldn't dismiss the fact that maybe others have been smuggled into the country before. Other than the composite patrol with the police and the BDF, we do have the other patrol with police and customs. And that one we have found to be more efficient. They have been the ones who have intercepted most of the human smuggling people as well as intercepting drugs and other contraband goods coming into the country."
"I'm not saying that the BDF police patrol is not efficient, but the truth be told the one MIT and Custom has proven to be more efficient."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you verily believe that when they lost that M4 carbine, they have been socializing in Nueva Juda, the BDF?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"That could be a possibility, but I have no proof to it, so I will not affirm."
