Police today made pictures available of the makeshift oil refinery which was found near Belmopan 12 days ago.
The photos show a very primitive operation but a reasonably well outfitted one that is estimated to have been able to produce a 55 gallon drum of diesel or kerosene every three days.
Police believe that it was operated by 55 year old Cuban mechanic Roberto Igarza Velazquez but the Department of the Environment says that he definitely had someone backing him. They estimate that upwards of fifty thousand dollars was invested in the operation - which they estimate to have been producing diesel and kerosene without any kind of permit or clearance for a year.
The DOE surmises that there's no way Igarza Velasquez could have been on his own - but so far he's the only suspect they have. They also believe that he somehow acquired crude oil from Belize Natural energy to refine. BNE says they know nothing about the operation.
He faces multiple offences and environmental fines for pollutions and failing to get an environmental impact assessment. He also faces immigration charges as he is presently in the country illegally and is in possession of a dubious US permanent residency card.
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