Honduran authorities say that they are investigating whether the Twin Engine Beechcraft King Air 200 that was found in the middle of Belize's Southern Highway last November is the same plane stolen from one of its military airbase last October 31st. Officials there are saying that the plane which landed in Belize is very similar to the one armed gunmen are said to have stolen after overpowering a group of soldiers guarding it at the time. 19 of its own military were arrested and charged with collusion in the theft of the plane, but were subsequently acquitted in court. Honduras' Attorney General is said to be making arrangements to meet with Belize's Attorney General to discuss the possibility the plane belongs to them. The plane is associated with the biggest drug bust in Belize's history and made headlines after it was discovered that 6 law enforcement officials were involved in facilitating its landing and the protection of its cargo, an estimated 50 million US dollars worth of cocaine. Honduran authorities believe that organized crime was behind the theft.
And the growing concern about Organized Crime in Central America was what triggered an emergency meeting called by Guatemala's President Alvaro Colom held yesterday in Antigua, Guatemala. Attending the meeting were the presidents of Guatemala , Honduras, El Salvador, Belize's Deputy Prime Minister and Nicaragua's Vice-President. Colom called the meeting after the news that 27 Guatemalans in the Peten area, were massacred allegedly by members of the Mexican drug gang, the Zetas . The Central American countries agreed to the exchange of information and coordination of actions to stop organized crime in the region, expressing grave concern at increasing drug trafficking by cartels such as the Zetas. The countries are seeking a billion dollars in loan funding to combat organized crime and the flow of drugs from South America through the region.
In a one on one meeting with Guatemala's president prior to the meeting, Prensa Libre quotes Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega said while there is no direct evidence yet to confirm the presence of Mexican cartels in Belize, some of the most recent incidences of violence do indicate the presence of narco-traffickers in the country. Belize's Prime Minister could not attend the meeting as he is in Guyana attending a retreat of Caricom Heads of State.
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