Authorities Target Cayo’s Criminal Supply Lines

A recent spike in drug-related crime in western Belize has prompted an intensified police response, with Home Affairs Minister Julius Espat saying authorities are aggressively targeting the flow of crack cocaine, firearms and criminal activity in the Cayo District. Speaking with Espat today, he explained that a specialized police unit has already been deployed in the San Ignacio area and is producing results, as law enforcement works to curb what officials describe as a growing threat to public safety.

 

Julius Espat, Minister of Home Affairs

“We’ve already addressed it. Cayo seems to be the vacation destination for criminals when they are dealt with in the city by our capable police officers. So they come to supposedly spend time to relax here, but while they’re here, they do things that we’re not happy with. We have already addressed it. There is a new unit that we have put in place in the San Ignacio area that has shown some incredible results. And our focus is on crack and cocaine, and weapons. And everybody’s calling that, “Oh, why?” and go on. Well, if you don’t like the police to be bothering you, then get into another business. Our mission is to save our children. We do not want, and we cannot accept that our children have access to crack cocaine, because once they touch it’s something that they will not get out of. And so I have no shame in saying that we are dealing with that. And so, I am proud of the police department that has shown the emphasis to crack down here. But it’s not only here. I mean, we had a surge of problems in the south. You have seen that in Dangriga, another holiday destination. And then in Belize, and we are doing it without state of emergencies, and we are doing it in the normal way of police activity. And I am proud that they can do it like that.”

 

Espat says police are treating the growing crack cocaine problem as a top priority and will take strong action against anyone involved in the drug trade.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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