Last week Friday, FCD Rangers and Special Constables operating in the Ceibo Chico area of the Chiquibul National Park, intercepted three Guatemalan gold panners - more than four miles within Belize.
Two of them escaped into the jungle, but the third was caught. He put up a snuggle, but a Special Constable subdued him. He has been charged for for illegal entry into the Chiquibul National Park.
He is 22-year-old Guatemalan Salomon Martinez Pascual, known as a repeat offender. He was found with 5 grams of what appeared to be gold contained in a small vial. According to an official release, Pascual was handed over to the San Ignacio Police after being fed and escorted from the Chiquibul.
On Monday, he pled guilty in front of the Magistrate where he was fined $3,000 or 12 months imprisonment for illegal entry into the National Park, and $1,000 or 6 months imprisonment for immigration offences. The vial with gold will be handed over to the Mining Unit for any further charges to be laid.
A release says that in future patrols, ranger teams will wear a chest-mounted camera to record footage of incidents to aid in prosecution.
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