Police got wind of the clandestine operation and searched the location north of Belize Christian Academy 11 days ago. They found 55 year old Cuban Roberto Igarza Velazquez, a mechanic who'd set up a lo-tech refinery with rotoplast tanks, pipes and hoses.

They also found a full 55 gallon drum full with diesel refined at the site. There were also Heavy duty machines such as bulldozers, Tractors and Cranes on the property which the DOE tells us is owned by Sydley Leslie. According to the DOE, the operation was small, and they estimate that it would produce about a 55 gallon drum of diesel every three days.

And though primitive tools including kitchen utensils were used, information suggests that it had been in operation for over a year, and all told the DOEs estimates that there was more than fifty thousand dollars worth of equipment in the area.

The question is where was it getting crude oil from? We spoke to a BNE representative who told us they know nothing about it and suggested that the crude may have been extracted form an old oil well called Eagle One outside Belmopan.

But the DOE investigated and they say that Eagle one is closed down and they suspect that the operation used crude from BNE. The DOE also suspects that there are monied interests involved and say that someone has to be made to account for the pollution which will take between 50 to 100 thousand dollars to clean up.

As for Roberto Igarza Velazquez, he isn't saying much, but he is in trouble because the Salvapan resident arrived in Belize from Cuba three years ago and never renewed his six month visa.