That's the new policy to deal with Guatemalans who are swarming to the Ceibo Chico Creek and adjacent areas to pan for gold. A joint patrol found the first two panning for gold in the Upper Ceibo Chico creek, five miles inside Belize. They are 45 year old Crisanto Augustin Choc and 19 year old Santiago Choc of 19 years from the village of El Naran(h)on.

It's a grueling 14 hour trek - and that is using a tractor - from where they were found to San Ignacio town. And when they got to the Millonario junction - which is about three quarter way in, the two detainees tried to escape, but they were re-captured. And then yesterday, the joint patrol came upon another ten persons. These ones were in the Rio Blanco creek which is just over 4 miles inside Belizean territory.

All of the men - working in three different groups - are from Monte Los Olivos - a border village in Guatemala. They were also brought in on the arduous journey to San Ignacio. They arrived this morning and are being held pending charges of illegal entry, entering into a park without authorization, defacing a natural area, and gold panning. They also had a small amount of marijuana so they will be charged for drug trafficking as well.

The men who were captured told the patrol unit that indeed Belizean authorities had notified them of their illegal activities and directed them to leave the area.

They did leave Ceibo Chico area but most of them just went unto Rio Blanco creek. One of those detained persons estimates that there are some 70 persons from his village alone operating in the area. The friends for Conservation and Development warns that there are likely hundreds of Guatemalans panning for gold in the area and warns that there could be dangerous encounters.