Police Make Huge Gun and Drug Bust on Island Off Belize City Coast

A police operation on an island off the coast of Belize City yielded several high-powered rifles and a large quantity of drugs. On Tuesday, a team of police officers visited the island in search of individuals from the Lake Independence area who are wanted under the state of emergency. Not only were they able to locate three known gang members, but the officers also discovered five weapons, including two high-powered rifles and three handguns. They also unearthed twenty-six pounds of cannabis and five pounds of suspected cocaine. The island is believed to be used by members of the gang as a depot for their drug shipments and guns. It is a major bust for the Belize Police Department, as it seeks to crack down on the spate of gun violence in Belize City, even under a state of emergency. The guns are now being prepared for testing to determine whether they are linked to any crimes. Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, spoke with reporters this evening at the Racoon Street Police Station. He told us more.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Yesterday, police visited an island just off the shore of Belize City where searches were conducted and the search led to the discovery of twelve thousand grams of cannabis, parceled off in a few parcels and two thousand three hundred grams of cocaine that were in two separate kilo size parcels and one two, two, three rifle on the island, police also found three individuals from the PIV area. Those persons and the drugs and firearm were brought to Belize City for processing and the three individuals have since been arrested and charged for drug trafficking and keeping unlicensed firearm. We believe the island is used as a store house for the PIV gang members. When they get their shipment of drugs it would be taken to the island and then they would bring from the island to the city in small quantities. We went and conducted searches on two other islands where we believe the PIV has some connections to and on one of those islands, we found one M4 carbine rifle, one assault five-point seven caliber rifle, one twenty-two rifle, one point forty caliber handgun and one nine-millimeter handgun. Five firearms were found, three of which are rifles and two handguns. No one was on that island so those items will be deposited as found property. Police continue to do a number of searches in areas we believe PIV gangs, or any other gangs would have some connection to with a view to unearth their tools of trade as well as to see if we can find some of them who are still wanted under the SOE.”