Big drug bust in the west

Jaime Gonzalez

Two men are in Police custody tonight, charged for drug trafficking and multiple traffic offences. Roland Rivers and Paul Morgan fled from San Ignacio Police when they were approached, and then ironically overturned and crashed in the San Ignacio Police parking lot. The Ford Ranger they were in crashed into and damaged three vehicles, but that’s probably the least of their worries. Inside the Ranger Police found almost fifty pounds of marijuana, meaning that both men now face the very serious charge of drug trafficking. It happened at around eight twenty-five pm Thursday night while the Quick Response Unit was on routine patrol.

Via Phone: Sgt. Jaime Gonzalez, CIB, San Ignacio Police Formation

“They saw a brown in color Mazda pickup at a high speed and as a result they came in close proximity with the pickup and ordered the driver to pull over. The driver refused and sped off on to Sanson Street and then on to Buena Vista Street. Whilst approaching the police station, the pickup overturned and landed on the parking lot of the police station hitting three other vehicles that were stationed there. A male person ran out of the vehicle, but was apprehended immediately whilst the driver stayed in the vehicle. These persons were identified as Rowland Rivers, thirty-two years of a Belize City address and the driver as Paul Rubio Morgan, thirty-nine years of Mahogany Heights. A search inside the pickup led to the discovery of two crocus sack—a red in color and a white one—both contained suspected cannabis. Both persons were detained and in their presence the suspected cannabis was weighed which amounted to forty-five pounds. Because of the impact on the vehicles, a Mitsubishi Galant car, owned by a police officer—namely Cpl. Ricky Valencia—which was extensively damaged beyond repair—a Toyota car and a ford ranger pickup resulted with minor damages. So far these two persons have been charged jointly with the offence of drug trafficking and the driver, Mister Morgan has been charged with traffic offenses likewise.”

Police believe that the drugs were coming from the area of Arenal, and were destined for Belize City.