Our headline story last night was about the eruption of violence in San Victor village in the Corozal District. Two civilians were shot and two police officers got head injuries - while a police patrol vehicle was badly damaged.
Indeed, it was a mini riot and today, multiple police units descended on that village - to establish a strong presence of law and order, and to find the culprits.
Here's the narrative we've put together of how the incident unfolded.
Jules Vasquez reporting
This is the truck with the contraband cargo that police stopped sometime around 4:30 yesterday. As you can see, it's stacked with Mexican beers, sodas and vegetables - an average haul in this riverside community famous for two things: contraband and outlaw behaviour by smugglers.
A team of four police officers with the Anti Narcotics Unit intercepted the vehicle on the road from the river to the village. But instead of acting quickly to control the situation- take the cargo to a safe place and leave the dangerous village, the police took pictures on scene - which gave villagers - who see contraband as a way of life and their daily bread - time to mobilize and put up a fight.
They threw stones and smashed the police patrol's windshield - and burst two of the officers heads.
The police also reportedly shot two men - seen here - who were taken across to Botes Mexico, put in the back of a pickup and taken for medical assistance there. Reports from Mexico say the Red Cross assisted them and took them to the General Hospital in Chetumal.
For this village - which is in regular conflict with the law, it leaves a bad taste in their mouths:
San Victor villagers angered by Police actions
"The police had no reason to hurt the two boys as they said. They only went and took guns to shoot people. And this is what bothered people. They just opened the door and began to shoot them out. See they always do this and that is why people got upset and went to see what was happening."
But police don't want to hear it. Today, teams of officers and units descended on the village determined to find those responsible for attacking the police.
And, the bottom line in this story is that - under attack - the police had to beat a hasty retreat and leave the contraband cargo and the truck in the village. And that's a part of the reason for the strong police presence there today - after they had to run yesterday.
Notably, the police report issued this evening does not say anything about police shooting two of the villagers. It simply says, quote, "the officers were attacked by Villagers who stoned the Police Officers and the Police vehicle, causing damages to the front and rear windshield and other parts of the vehicle. (4) Police Officers received various degrees of injuries to their bodies."
As we told you last night, in 2009, customs shot and killed a teenager in the village - also on a contraband raid. Since then, customs engagements in the area have been very cautious because the local sentiment is strongly against them.
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