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Constable With Cannabis
posted (June 4, 2018)
And from that police controversy, we turn now to another that's playing out in the Orange Walk District. A police constable has been implicated in what looks to be a major marijuana smuggling operation busted by a joint law enforcement team with Customs, BDF and Police.

The team was in the area of Santa Cruz Village, a contraband hotspot which is the illegal crossing point between Botes and Belize.

It was an anti-drug operation and cops caught the weed, the vehicle used to transport it, and the men, including the police officer, who were allegedly attempting to smuggle it down from the north.

Daniel Ortiz has that story:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
This was the scene in Corozal when a joint law enforcement team intercepted a vehicle carrying a large quantity of marijuana. Seen here are Harvey Trapp, Windell Trapp, and David Trapp, who police all caught on the scene.

A 4th man, Police Constable Braiden Robateau, was also detained, and according to police, he tried to flee on foot, leaving this

White Hyundai Sonata SUV, inside which these hefty bricks of compressed marijuana were stuffed in a sports bag.

The men were arraigned today, and they are all jointly facing drug trafficking charges.

Wilfredo Ferrufino - Inspector, CIB
"On June 2, sometime around 12:40 p.m., there was a joint operation by customs, BDF, and police from Orange Walk. They had received information that there was a vehicle in the Santa Cruz area, a white vehicle, suspected to have illegal drugs. As a result, an operation was launched, and the vehicle was intercepted somewhere between Santa Cruz and San Antonio. Upon the officers intercepting the vehicle, the driver and one of the occupants fled, leaving 3 other occupants in the vehicle. Those 3 were detained. The vehicle was searched, and 6 parcels of suspected marijuana was retrieved from that vehicle. It amounted to 10,653 grams, or 24.4 pounds of marijuana. Those persons, whose names are Harvey Trapp, a 25 year-old of Santa Elena; Windell Trapp, a 27 year-old of Esperanza; David Trapp, a carpenter of Esperanza Village, were detained shortly after, somewhere out of San Antonio Village, the 4th individual who had fled the vehicle was detained. That individual was identified as Braiden Robateau, a 22 year-old police officer attached to the San Ignacio formation. All 4 individuals were detained, and they have been charged for drug trafficking."

Today, in court, Harvey Trapp attempted to take the rap by pleading guilty, telling the court that the drugs were his, but that guilty plea was not accepted.

All 4 will continue to face that drug trafficking charge, and Constable Robateau will also have to answer to his police bosses for his proximity to this drug bust. We understand that his explanation is that he picked up the other 3 men, and that the marijuana is not for him.

Reporter
"Will there be any disciplinary action against the officer?"

Wilfredo Ferrufino
"Yes, of course, that is in process as we speak."

Reporter
"Sir, is there any information to police suggesting that the officer was attempting to use maybe his influence as a member of law enforcement to try to speed things through, or try to pass checkpoints and places where vehicles would be searched?"

Wilfredo Ferrufino
"I don't have confirmation in regards to that, so I don't want to speculate on that."

All 4 defendants: Harvey Trapp, Windell Trapp, David Trapp, and Braiden Robateau, were arraigned today in the Orange Walk Magistrate's Court today. As you heard in our story, when the charges were read to them, Harvey Trapp reportedly attempted to plead guilty, but information to 7News is that the magistrate did not accept this plea. The 3 other defendants pleaded not guilty - but the charges against them were not dropped. At the end of the arraignment, the Magistrate granted all 4 of them bail of 5,000.

They must return to court on August 28.

Constable Robateau is attached to the San Ignacio Police Station.

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