They were discovered by a joint patrol, which consisted of personnel from the BDF, the police, and rangers from the Friends for Conservation and Development. The officers visited an area known as Caballo Camp half a kilometer east of the Belize/Guatemala border. That's where they found 1 man chopping, while two others were fumigating with hand pumps.

They were identified as 54 year-old Felipe Ramirez Diaz, 20 year-old Mario Arturo Ramirez, and a 17 year-old minor, who are all from the village of La Cebada, which is in Melchor. While searching the men, the Belizean law enforcement team found a .45 automatic handgun, with a magazine containing 7 live rounds.