FCD says that on last Thursday, February 22, at around 11:15 a.m., a joint law enforcement team of FCD rangers, BDF soldiers, and the police officers from the Special Patrol Unit were out on patrol of the Chiquibul.

That's when they encountered a Guatemalan man identified as 28 year-old Elfido Francisco Esteban Cano, who is from the community of Laurel in Dolores, Peten. He was caught on an illegal farm located about 2 kilometers inside Belizean territory. He told the law enforcement team that he and his family members had been cultivating beans, corn, and pumpkin for about a year in the South Cebada area. He also told the joint patrol team that this bean patch had been planted by at least 10 or more persons from the Guatemalan community of San Marcos. According to the FCD, he told the joint patrol team that a sack of beans he has cultivated in Belizean territory is worth between some 250 quetzales, or about 74 Belize dollars. A sack of pumpkin seed can fetch as much 300 quetzales, or 90 Belize dollars, and a sack of corn is worth about 50 quetzales, or 15 Belize dollars.

The joint patrol team also found a .22 rifle with 3 live rounds on him. The weapon was inspected, and the lawmen did not find any brand names, and serial numbers.