Belize's PM Briceno Pleased With Major Drug Bust Last Weekend

BELMOPAN, Belize – Prime Minister John Briceño says the arrest and charges laid against four police officers in relation to the seizure of an aircraft laden with illegal drugs, will help to win back the trust of the public, and underscore his administration’s determination to root out crime, even when high level officials may be implicated.

Assault rifles linked to the Belizean government were found. Police officers are among several people charged in connection with the drug bust. (BBN Photo)“When we come back to the issue of crime, never in the history of Belize have a government made such a bust that happened over the weekend.

“Where high ranking people seem to be implicated, and that the Commissioner and the Minister of Police have said, we are going to go after them, we are going to bring in every help we can get to be able to arrest these people, Briceno said, adding that he was pleased that several people have been charged.

“Something that has not happened before. So now, trust? You can’t win trust overnight. We have to be able to win back that trust that was destroyed by the previous governments,” Briceno added.

Police said that a plane laden with 25 bales of cocaine landed in the middle of the Southern Highway last Thursday night resulting in a shootout between police officers and those who were meeting the plane.

Following the incident, several police officers and other individuals were arrested and arraigned in Belmopan Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The officers included Sergeant George Ferguson, Corporal Elmer Nah, Constables Delwin Casimiro and Nelson Middleton. In addition, six individuals including a woman were also brought to court.

Attorney Norman Rodriguez, who is representing some of the accused, said the main charge against the accused is that of possession of controlled drugs with the intent to supply.

They are also charged with conspiracy to land a plane at an aerodrome without permission from the minister.

Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, said the investigation into the crime is a joint effort involving the United States’ Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

“I had appointed an investigation team which comprises of police officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit, as well as from Major Crime, and we also have elements of the DEA who are a part of that investigation team because we want to make sure that whatever needs to be done is done.

“A number of persons have been taken into custody and …we laid charges against a number of those persons which includes four police officers.”

All the accused except the woman, who is the wife of Corporal Elmer Nah were denied bail and will return to court on February 8 next year.

“They will come back on the 8th of February if they don’t get bailed by then. But law provides that bail be provided by a judge if the magistrate cannot grant it or refuses to grant it, and that can happen as early as this coming Friday, because bail is heard every Friday,” said Rodriguez.

“The moment I saw the charge of possession with intent to supply to another and I think there were 12 bales and so many kilograms. Once is above one kilogram, the magistrate cannot grant bail. The magistrate did say that to them immediately. The men have been placed on remand at the Belize Central Prison until their next court date. The inquiry into the matter continues.”

Williams said that the investigation is continuing and that “there are still a number of things that we are trying to get done in collaboration with DEA agents because they would have more resources than we do.

“I’m not going to say what are those other things that we will be doing, but whatever will be done is being done with a view to ensure that we strengthen our case.”