For the last two nights - we've been reporting on the stolen car impounded by customs. It's news not just because it's stolen from Mexico - but because a police officer was driving it when Customs intercepted it.
But, it turns out the Spanish made car has been in country for some years - and it's not the first time Customs has taken an interest in its provenance.
Today we got to see this car for the first time - here's what Jules Vasquez saw:
This heavily tinted SEAT Ibiza impounded at customs certainly doesn't look like a mom car - but the COMPOL says that's just what it is:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"While the two police officers were found in the vehicle, the vehicle does not belong to them. The vehicle belonged to their mother. Their mother bought the vehicle in 2018 from a person in Corozal Town."
The 2017 model was stolen in the Yucatan area of Mexico in July of that year - and entered Belize illegally, was fraudulently licensed and registered without passing through customs, and then purchased by the wife of a senior police officer - whose sons are also now police officers.
It is not the first time it has come to the attention of customs:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Couple of years ago, when Mr. Gibson was the comptroller of customs, Mr. Gibson had notified me of, I think two suspected stolen vehicles that they believe the same family had owned den. This was, I think, in 2019."
"And he told me of it. And I said to Mr. Gibson, if you have information that the vehicles are stolen, then by all means, please proceed and look into it. I do not want to appear as if I am taking side for nobody."
"Mr. Gibson, I think, got involved, custom went, inspected the vehicles, said that the vehicles were not stolen and returned them to the family. And this vehicle was one of those vehicles. So I am wondering now why in 2019, they had said that the vehicle was not stolen and now in 2023, they are now saying that the vehicle is stolen."
Notably, reports say it also shows up as stolen also in the police's Interpol database - which Customs does not have access to - but usually asks the police to check for them.
