7 News Belize

More Gold Panners Caught in Chiquibul
posted (July 31, 2017)
On Saturday morning 5 Friends of Conservation and Development Rangers were conducting a routine patrol in the Ceibo Chico region of the Chiquibul National Park, when they came across a make shift camp about 6km into the park. After a quick inspection they found two Guatemalan men sleeping under shelter. The men were identified as Thomas Gomez and Domingo Para, both from Dolores, Peten.

The rangers also found six live 16 gauge shotgun shells, and a a bag of marijuana. No firearm was found, however several gold mining tools were found throughout the camp.

Gomez and Para were handed over to San Ignacio Police this weekend, and have been formally arrested and jointly charged with kept ammunition without a gun license. Para will also be charged with possession of controlled drugs. The Forest Department is also expected to charge both men with illegal entry.

This isn't the first time Para has been caught gold-panning after illegally crossing the border. In 2013 he and two others were caught with an unlicensed firearm in the same location.

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