Drugs From Pine Ridge Plane Destroyed

Twenty-five bails of cocaine went up in flames today. The drugs were seized by law enforcement two weeks ago, after a narco-plane crash landed in the Mountain Pine Ridge Area. Since then, the cocaine was being held at a secure location under police guard. But today, that pay load was transported to an undisclosed location where police says it was all destroyed. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the details, with the help of our colleagues from Plus TV.

ACP Alford Grinage

ACP Alford Grinage, Operations Commander, Belize Police Department

“Early this morning we led a convoy from an undisclosed location to be able to destroy the drugs that was found there at the Hidden Valley. We escorted the drugs to that location to which the drugs were destroyed in the presence of the witnesses. You know, we usually do it in the presence of the JP, the majesty and also the scenes of crime, forensic personnel, and scene of crime were present from the prosecution section.”

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Once at the location, law enforcement officers began the process of destroying the drugs.

ACP Alford Grinage

“Upon reaching the location, all the drugs that was found, initially was shown to the witnesses, after which each parcel was taken out of the bags. They were presented to the forensic personnel who took samples. You were there at the location where you see samples were taken to ensure that products in the package are the same drugs that was found. After that it was cut and throw into fire so that it could be destroyed.”

A police officer used a machete to chop into each brick of cocaine. One by one, from the chopping block to the fiery furnace they went.

ACP Alford Grinage

“The significant, we are happy to get the drugs first of all. Every drug we get, I know this is a small dent in the drug world; it is significant for us because that is drugs that will not be going back for consumption by the public. So, that is significant for us. As well, we have disclosed persons, local persons who are involved in drug trafficking, including one of our own, who has been charged for this as well. So, it is a significant find for us as well.”

This is the Belize Police Department’s second drug destruction exercise in less than three weeks. On November sixteen they burnt some one thousand eight hundred pounds of cocaine. All this cocaine coming into Belize by plane is connected to the regional narco-trafficking trade. Efforts to track these planes in the air, then later make a busts on the ground, keeps local authorities on their toes. In most cases, the drugs are removed and the planes destroyed, before authorities arrive on the scene.

ACP Alford Grinage

“It takes a lot, and you would know that before I was leading that team that searched for the drugs, in the Hidden Valley, it was a tremendous task that we had to go through. But, we knew we had to come up with the drugs and we knew that those persons were involved. And, we had to prove to the public that we had evidence on these people. So it was key that we found the drugs. So, it was a success for the department and the wider public.”

Sprinkles of cocaine left behind at the scene of today’s destruction, far less than what would have made it to the streets were these officers not successful in this latest bust. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.