"Incisive Gallop," it may sound like the name of one of those horses that's running at the Belmont Park Race Track in New York tomorrow, but it's actually the name a of a joint law enforcement operation which was conducted in the Chiquibul Forest in the last week of May. It focused on repeated areas of incursion along the border, namely, Cebada, Sapote and Valentin Camp - which is just west of the Caracol Archeological site.
The BDF discovered and destroyed a total of 25 fields of illegal crops being grown by Guatemalans on Belizean territory. 15 of those fields, (approximately 29 acres) were of pumpkin, 6 fields (approximately 90 acres) of corn, 2 fields (approximately 10 acres) of beans, and 2 fields (approximately 6 acres) containing sweet potatoes, cassava, plantain, and bananas. Several recent clearings along the border were also discovered and recorded.
A release from the BDF says, that there is now quote, "a substantial reduction of illicit activities in this area which over the past decade have become known to be very active."
And while that was local law enforcement two weeks ago, back in March, the US Government which apparently has a love/hate relationship with marijuana assisted in a major marijuana crackdown. The BDF reports that between 16 to 20th March 2014 a countrywide interagency operation with air support from US Army Chinook Helicopters resulted in the discovery and destruction of 35 marijuana fields, including 57,353 marijuana plants, plus 160 pounds of processed marijuana and a total of 28½ pounds of marijuana seeds destroyed by fire.
The BDF reports that for this local weed, the current estimated market value is $250 dollars per pound. And using that figure, the value of the plants destroyed amounts to 5.3 million Belize dollars. The BDF notes proudly, this equates to little over one million dollars of drugs destroyed per day during the four day operation.
This again had helicopter support of the U.S. Army.
Email
Print