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But we first we have the latest on the cargo truck loaded with pharmaceuticals that was jacked yesterday. Late this morning police received word that a truck that appeared to have been abandoned was found on a deserted road situated behind Burrell Boom Village. When police arrived on the scene it was quickly determined that the vehicle was the truck that had been hijacked two days ago after it left Belize City with over one hundred boxes of Noxpirin, a cough medication.

Reports are that the pharmaceutical supply was being transported to a pharmacy in neighbouring Guatemala when the vehicle’s driver identified as twenty six year old Jermaine Galvez and a Customs guard who was there to secure the transshipment were held up at gun point. According to the officer in charge of Ladyville Police sub formation Inspector Calbert Flowers, the only item found at the scene in some bushes several yards away from the vehicle was a cart that they believe was used to unload the boxes.

Insp. Calbert Flowers, Ladyville Police
“Some time around 11:30 or so this morning we received a call from the Burrell Boom police saying he had received information about a truck on the Camp Oakley Road in Burrell Boom. Ladyville police proceeded to the location where they found the six wheeler truck, a big freight truck. The truck was empty, the ignition was in the truck and it was on the road itself. It was parked in the middle of the road.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Any report as to how long this truck may have been back there?

Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“We received information that this truck is there at least two days now, at least two days.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
The police they’re doing what now to find out exactly what happened and I guess to find out where the cargo is now?

Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“As we speak the investigators are out on the scene where this truck was found along with officials from the Customs Department and from the Scenes of Crime Department. So they are in the area conducting searches and searching for any clues that they might find in the area.”

But while the hunt may be on for all those involved and the missing cargo, intense investigation continues into the Customs Department and if any Customs officer is involved. 7NEWS understands that the shipment of cough medicine had arrived in Belize sometime in June, at the same time that a statutory instrument was in process to ban the importation of cough medicines that contain pseudo-ephedrine, a highly addicted drug that is known to be used in the production of methamphetamines known as crystal meth. That is why the shipment when it arrived was not released. 7NEWS also understands that when the SI was finally signed into law on June nineteenth, the shipment of supply was still being stored at the Taca warehouse. That means it should have not been cleared. But just before noon on Wednesday a Custom’s officer released the shipment.

When we contacted the customs department, we were told that they along with the police are investigating the incident. According to the spokesperson when the shipment arrived in Belize they made a request for it to be tested and be supplied with a chemical breakdown to see if it did contain the drug pseudo – ephedrine but that they were never given any results. When asked why the Custom’s officer upon checking the shipment to be released never inspected the labels and examined the bottles of medication to see if it contained the drug, we were only told that the officer did not comply with the standard operating procedure and never made any attempts to consult with anyone about the cargo and went ahead and released it. That Custom’s officer who has been with the department for over ten years is now being questioned by police. According to the Customs spokesperson depending on what he says other officers may be questioned.

While pseudo – ephedrine is not an illicit drug known to be used in Belize the highly addicted substance is known to be manufactured for marketing in Mexico and Guatemala. In January Mexico banned it. As a result imports of the drug to Belize skyrocketed that led officials to believe that the imports are being smuggled into Mexico and Guatemala through Belize. As a result, the Ministry of Economic Development in consultation with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency signed the SI making the importation of psuedo –ephedrine illegal.

The Custom’ spokesperson told 7NEWS when that happened, they were informed and all Customs officers were briefed on the matter and what procedures they should follow. He further told us he is not aware if custom’s was warned about this particular shipment.