7 News Belize

Benque Cab Driver Caught Laundering Cash
posted (September 11, 2018)
In what may be a situation related to that cash based tobacco trade - a Taxicab from Benque Viejo was caught in Sandhill on Friday. Two men were heading north with large amounts of US dollars concealed in their car - they had a total of $66,000 US currency, $705 Belize currency and 15 quetzales.. Police told us more:...

ASP Alejandro Cowo- OC, CIB
"Police intercepted a vehicle driven at the time by Mr. Walter Jonathan Hercules, a 35 year old Belizean businessman of #10 Old Bank Road in Benque Viejo. This happened while police were conducting a check point at the Sand Hill police station on the Phillip Goldson Highway. They intercepted this vehicle that at the time was driven by Walter Jonathan Hercules and was accompanied by Mr. David Cruz. Initial search of the vehicle inside the paneling of the dashboard led to the discovery of an amount of US dollars of various currency and a further search in the gear shift led to another amount. After the search was concluded police found a total of $65,000 USD in different denominations inside the vehicle. Subsequently police arrested and charged both of them, Walter Jonathan Hercules and Mr. David Cruz for two counts of Money Laundering."

Jules Vasquez- Reporter
"Have they stated any licit purpose for which they had this cash?"

ASP Alejandro Cowo
"No."

Jules Vasquez
"Have they explained why the cash was concealed in such a way?"

ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Well, you know that every person has a right to remain silent, which is what they told the police."

Jules Vasquez
"Did they know what they were looking for? Or did they have a suspicion of certain movements?"

ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Well it is part of an operation that has been going on country wide and you know that Benque Residents traverse the highway very much. Suspects have been involved with drug trafficking, trafficking of firearms and other illicit substances, hence the reason that it was alerted to police and police intercepted the vehicle at the checkpoint."

Today 25 year old Walter Hercules and 25 year old David Cruz, both of them residents of Benque Viejo Del Carmen, were charged with 2 counts of money laundering when they appeared before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. They pleaded not guilty to the charges. They were released on bails of $25,000 each and their case was adjourned until October 16. They were also accused of attempting to conceal the location of $64,000 US currency. They were represented by attorney Leeroy Banner.

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