Drug Plane Was in Southern Belize for 3 Weeks Before Discovery  

Last week, a suspected drug plane was unearthed in the remote Graham Creek area of Toledo. The Belize Defense Force swiftly dispatched soldiers to investigate the scene. Today, Brigadier General Azariel Loria revealed that they believe the aircraft had been there for two to three weeks, conspicuously marked with a Mexican flag.

 

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, Commandant, B.D.F.

“That plane was a Cessna 210. We discovered it by chance. We sent a patrol in that area of Graham Creek because the CSI is a radar from the Americans that did not pick up the signal. And also our radar here did not pick it up. So, it was pure coincidence and a bit of intelligence too as well that we sent that patrol at Graham Creek and that is the result – that’s what we found. And we were responding at a recently cleared air strip in that area.  We were going to do a reconnaissance patrol, but we found the illegal airstrip and the Cessna at the same time.”

 

Hipolito Novelo

“How long was the plane there?”

 

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria

“We don’t know, but we believe that by what we found – we found GPS and other equipment. I think that we found a satellite phone. So, we believe that the plane was there for like two or three weeks maximum. We don’t know.”

 

Hipolito Novelo

“I believe you found some sort of Mexican markings?”

 

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria

“Oh, the origin of the plane itself, we do not know, but the plane had markings, and it had a Mexican flag on the nose.”