Coast Guard Busts Illicit Cigarette Cargo in Corozal Free Zone

Amid growing fears of cartel influence and illicit trade in the Corozal Free Zone, the Belize Coast Guard has stepped in. Their latest operation targeted suspicious cargo found outside the zone’s permit area. News Five has confirmed that cargo contained a shipment of illicit cigarettes going into Mexico. This latest bust raises numerous questions about security and oversight at one of the country’s busiest commercial hubs. Commandant at the Belize Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Elton Bennett told us more.

 

On the Phone: Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“The northern area of operation has continuously become an issue for us. WE have increased our operations within that area, and I am referring to the entire northern border region as it relates to the boundary to the Rio Hondo River. So we have been very active in that area. I think the operation you are alluding to is what occurred sometime around the 12^th of October where the Coast Guard seized a large quantity of what we believe to be contraband goods on the Belizean side that we believe was being prepared to be shipped over to Mexico. As I mentioned we are very active int hat area and we were conducting an operation around midnight where we detected what we believed to be contraband and we seized those cargo. We were not able to detain any individuals. They all fled as we approached the area. Those items were handed over to the police department and the customs department in the presence of a justice of the peace, immediately after we made that seizure.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Can you say if these items were directly linked to the Freezone?”

 

On the Phone: Rear Admiral Elton Bennett

“That is what we suspected. AS I mentioned the individuals fled so we secured the cargo. We believe that yes indeed it came out of the freezone.”