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Tonight, 39 year-old Eber Navarette, a Belize Defence Force Sargeant attached to the Price Barracks Compound in Ladyville, is at prison after being busted with an unlicensed firearm in Cayo yesterday evening. But it may be more than just an isolated arrest – credible reports tell us that Sargeant Navarette was being trialed by police – because he is a person of interest in the recent burglary of the "Echelon 7" munitions stockpile in Lord's Bank.

Police trailed Navarette into a taxi where they had information that he might be in possession of unlicensed weapon. Navarette got out of the vehicle at the corner of Awe and Carmelita Streets – where police pulled up to search him.

Police say that the soldier ran away, and they set chase. While he was fleeing, one of the officers say they saw him remove a black object from his pants which resembled a handgun. When police finally caught him, they conducted the search.

The officers didn't find anything on him, but they were sure that he had the weapon, given their intelligence, the fact that he ran, and because the officer saw him remove something resembling a weapon. So, they called in the K9 Unit, and with the help of one of the police dogs, the officers found the weapon stashed in a hiding area which they saw Navarette run pass. It was a black 9mm pistol with 2 live rounds, for which Navarette did not have any license.

He was detained, and on the advice of the DPP's Office, he was arrested and charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm, and keeping unlicensed ammunition. He was arraigned this morning in the San Ignacio Magistrate's Court where he pleaded not guilty to the charge, but due to the nature offences, he couldn't be granted bail. He was remanded into custody until April 16, 2015.

Our sources tell us that police were trialing Navaratte because he was one of the 14 persons assigned to guard the Echelon 14 ammunitions store where over 2,500 rounds of high powered, assault rifle ammunition was discovered stolen last week. Police investigators believe that the Sargeant went on leave at a suspicious time. Police suspect that these rounds are taken across to Guatemala for sale.