7 News Belize

Another Drug Plane Found Torched In The North
posted (February 27, 2018)
And this list emerges into the public limelight - just as it appears that northern Belize is being used as some kind of vast landing field for drug planes. We know that the movements of drug planes have in the past been tied to complicity within the ranks of law enforcement.

Last night, a twin engine Beechcraft landed in the north - and by the time police got there, it was already burning. It was found just before 10:00 in the Santa Cruz area of Libertad Village in the Corozal District. It had landed on a public road which passes through a canefield.

Today, the Corozal police Commander had more questions than answers in what he said is a joint police and BDF operation:

Supt. Sinquest Martinez, OC, Corozal
"Sometime around after 8 last night in regards to the information received of a plane being found in the Santa Cruz area of the Corozal District. I sent out a team of police officers out there, when they got out there, they saw a plane in flames. We conducted searches within the area last night and this morning. We haven't found anything in respect to the plane except the remains of the plane that has been found."

Reporter
"Is it believed that it was a suspect drug plane sir?"

Supt. Sinquest Martinez
"I don't want to make any assumptions at this time but I have my officers out there doing some investigation with the assistance of the BDF that is around the district doing some other work along with us. A team of that we are presently doing. That's one of the areas that we go often, but unfortunately we were a little bit late getting there last night. We did what was available to us. The police have not found anything in the area in respect to that except the burnt aircraft but the lighting apparatus was found."

Reporter
"It is believed that the cargo is still in the country, how do you guys capture the persons that are transporting the cargo?"

Supt. Sinquest Martinez
"We will see where the investigation will take us."

Reporter
"We're getting information that there was a landing in Pachakan and possibly in Sarteneja. Has the police received that? is there any truth to this?"

Supt. Sinquest Martinez
"As far as my office is concerned, we haven't."

Reporter
"Are there reports that there were previous landings taking place in Corozal up to last week?"

Supt. Sinquest Martinez, OC, Corozal
"We didn't have any landing of last week. As a matter of fact, it's not of who control the radar, its personnel at the civil aviation that control the radars not us. We just work on information that we received."

Reporter
"Are you concerned that this can continue happening in the area?"

Supt. Sinquest Martinez
"It is a great concern for us, nationally and internationally. It is a concern for us, and like I said, it's a team effort, not only the police alone. With the joint effort with the BDF, we will need to step up our patrols likewise."

Reporter
"How can the public help in all of this?"

Supt. Sinquest Martinez
"They can help by calling 911 or call the nearest police station, an officer, myself or deputy if they hear any plane, especially late evening or night time flying around their area. It is a concern because it could have a balloon effect on us."

Reporter
"What would those effects be?"

Supt. Sinquest Martinez
"Its drugs that we're dealing with and that brings its own violence and cash."

There were reports of the engines of planes being heard in other areas of the Corozal district last night.

This is the second drug plane found in the north in as many days.

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