DEA Joins Probe Into Drug Plane Landing

The US Drug Enforcement Agency is teaming up with the Belize Police Department to investigate the degree of involvement of local law enforcement officers in the landing of a narco jet last Thursday.  It appears the elite strike team formerly led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Marco Vidal had been compromised and the remainder of that unit was transferred to other areas of the department.  With the DEA lending its expertise to the ongoing probe, will there be others facing charges for possibly colluding with the four accused officers?  On Monday, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams spoke about the DEA’s participation, as well as the need for transparency throughout this process.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Our investigation continues. There are still a number of things that we are trying to get done in collaboration with the DEA agents because they would have more resources than we do. I’m not going to say what are those other things that we will be doing, but whatever will be done is being done with a view to ensure that we strengthen our case. Yes, we have enough to charge now, but you know that the investigation is still ongoing.  There are certain things that we need to do to strengthen the case. So we are going to wait for those. My perspective, as commissioner, I will do whatever needs to be done to ensure that all those who are responsible for this plane landing are held accountable.”

Reporter

“Will there be an audit of the activities in this unit to sort of see if previous plane landings where the drugs… couldn’t find the drugs, couldn’t find the people, if those were also facilitated by people in this unit?”

Chester Williams

“Well, of course, yes. The investigation is looking at every possibility. We are not ruling out anything and that’s the reason why we have a cross-section of investigators and we have not kept away our international partners. Like I said, the DEA is a part of the investigation, every step of the way because at the end of the day, we want to show them as well, that as a department we are not covering up nobody and we are doing what needs to be done.”