Customs Officer Threatened at Belize’s Western Border

A threatening sign found at Belize’s western border this morning has put security officials on alert as police investigate.

The sign singled out Assistant Comptroller of Customs Luis Betancourt by name and carried a warning in Spanish: “Jefe de Aduana, te vas o te mueres. X Betancourt.” The message translates to, “Customs chief, you leave or you die. X Betancourt.”

Betancourt, who has been with the department for more than 25 years, took over duties at the western border in August, and police are now trying to establish who placed the message.

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, CEO of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with people in the area as they gather information.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty at this stage,” Bennett said. “The investigators are out there canvassing; they’re seeing and trying to gather as much intelligence as they can from surveillance footage and from interviews with individuals in the area.”

Bennett said the incident has also led to closer coordination among agencies at the border, with security measures heightened as the investigation continues.

We’ll keep following this story.