Earlier this week we told you about the illicit airstrip that police found near mile nine on the Coastal Highway in the Belize District. That was Tuesday morning when a plane was heard circling low in the Belize District. When police got there, they found no plane and no drugs, just 20 drums - 16 filled with aviation fuel, while four were empty. They also came upon, makeshift landing lights, 4 batteries, canvases, and the discarded seats from an airplane. These were most likely removed to make way for a drug cargo.
It suggests what is well known to those in law enforcement circles: that Belize continues to be used as a transshipment point for drugs. But, is there any police intelligence on how often illicit landings go undetected, or how many of the clandestine airstrips exist? Well, we're way ahead of the commissioner on this one: he says there's no evidence that a plane landed there:
Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
"Again, I did get a briefing in terms of the containers and the fuel and the other things that have been found. We have no information at this time to indicate that a plane had landed. It could have been things that were prepared for a landing or may have been there from some time ago. That matter is still under investigation and as I said I don't really have much more information on that."
Those who frequent the area tell us that the airstrip was first spotted about three years ago. It was reported to authorities, but nothing was done.
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