Tonight, there is more information about the major drug bust made in El Salvador and its connection to Belize. As we reported on Friday, the drugs were destined for a company called Grupo Sol, registered in the Corozal Free zone. Well, local authorities did not want to release the name of the registered owner of those companies, but it is all over the Mexican news. He is Samer Akil Ralda, and, it turns out, he's a big name in the Corozal Free Zone – so much so that up until May of this year, he was on the Zone's Board of Directors. In fact, he's still pictured on the Zone's website as a Director – mugging for a photo along with leading public officials such as the Comptroller of Customs and the Commissioner of Labour.
He was recently voted off the board, but now Mexican Media reports that he hasn't been seen in the zone for two weeks since the bust was made. Our local information say that he is the owner of two companies in the Zone, Grupo Sol and Excel, while Mexican media reports that his stories are named Sol Fashion and Cargoyo. Both the stores and their warehouse were searched last week – when a shipment of frozen pineapple came from Costa Rica.
That was truck number two in a shipment that also included truck number one which was busted in Salvador with over a thousand pounds of cocaine – declared as frozen pineapple. Turns out, the frozen pineapple did come to Belize on July 21st. The container was extensively checked by customs, police and their canine unit, but nothing suspicious was found. The pineapple with a declared value of over sixty thousand dollars spoilt – and had to be discarded on Saturday.
There is no indication from local authorities saying that Akil-Ralda is wanted in Belize. Mexican reports say he is Venezuelan-Lebanese, our reports say Colombian-Lebanese. He is believed to reside in Mexico but is considered well-connected in Belize, particularly in the Corozal Free Zone.
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