Hidden Diesel Haul Lands Venezuelan Ship Captain Behind Bars

A Venezuelan ship captain is behind bars tonight after Belizean authorities seized a vessel loaded with over fifty-three thousand gallons of diesel that entered national waters without notifying the Belize Port Authority. 55‑year‑old Carlos Tomas Rivas Rodriguez, captain of the Humilde Viajero, was charged today in the Independence Magistrate’s Court. He appeared with attorney Leeroy Banner, while Customs Department’s legal counsel Tracey Sosa prosecuted. Rodriguez faces two charges. Investigators say that on March tenth, near Harvest Caye, Rodriguez failed to declare more than fifty-three thousand gallons of diesel on board the Humilde Viajero, which he commanded. Prosecutors allege Rodriguez submitted documents claiming the vessel was in ballast and carrying no cargo, even though authorities later found the fuel hidden in nine hatches. The diesel has a market value of over six hundred thousand dollars and a street value of almost two million dollars, which the Comptroller now seeks to forfeit along with the vessel itself. Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to both charges. Prosecutor Sosa objected to bail, arguing he is a foreign national and a flight risk. The magistrate agreed, and Rodriguez was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until April 20, 2026. On March 8, Belize Coast Guard officials alerted Customs to a suspicious vessel anchored off Harvest Caye that had entered Belizean waters without mandatory notification. Two days later, a joint team from Customs, the Ministry of Health, BAHA, Immigration, and the Port Authority boarded the ship. Rodriguez met the officers and produced documents, including registration papers, crew lists, and a supposed nil‑cargo declaration. He later admitted there was fuel onboard and presented an invoice. Customs Examiner Leon Usher then searched the vessel and discovered the nine concealed hatches containing diesel. The hatches were sealed, and the Port Authority’s inspection also found several safety deficiencies, prompting the vessel’s detention. Following the investigation, the Comptroller of Customs authorized charges against Rodriguez.

 

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