Email

Print

And in an effort to put a stop to the perilous border jumping, the Commissioner of Police led a number of senior officers on a tour of the outlaw village today. It was part community outreach, part media campaign, and mostly a not to subtle show of force. Cherisse Halsall went along for the ride and here's her story.

Imagine hearing a knock and peeking out to see the Commissioner of Police and the entire media at your front door. That's just what happened to the villagers of San Victor, Corozal this morning.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I decided to take a visit to San Victor because of the fact that we continue to get information that persons who are engaged in the contraband trade continue to go across the Mexican side, knowing the situation over that side of the border, getting contraband and coming back to Belize."

It was a media tour of the village that has become infamous for countering contraband raids with sticks, stones, broken bones and busted windshields.

Here in San Victor, a village on the border between Belize and Mexico, trade in contraband has always been an essential way of life

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We know that prior to this pandemic if persons were caught with uncustomed goods that customs believed would be used for their own livelihood customs would give them a run but at this time because of the pandemic and the situation in Mexico we cannot allow you to go over to Mexico none at all much less to bring in even a pound of flour."

It's in small villages like San Victor, physical examples of porous borders, where the battle against COVID-19 will be waged.

But the police can't hope to do it alone and when Commissioner Williams entered the village this morning he headed straight to the home of a pillar of the community.

Concepcion Cobb, Chairman, San Victor Village
"I am cooperating with you all the law, the authorities here and I'm happy and conforming because I think that the people of San Victor my villagers should be able to see that your working to control COVID-19 as you say, for our people."

But the chairman wasn't the only person who got a personal appeal from the police

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I look at them as persons within the village who we believe can assist us in using their influence to deter those persons who are involved in the contraband trade and I am happy to say that every person we visited they were very much receptive to us and they all expressed their own concerns as well in terms of people going over to the mexican side and coming back over to this side."

"Some of the villagers were complaining that they are being abused by customs officers and that is an issue I have to discuss with Mr. Griffith in trying to see what can be done with a view to address the work of the villagers. It cannot be that the security forces or customs will be in the area abusing people because that may aggravate them and cause them to behave erratic and we don't want that."

"We are looking at this in a positive light that after today we'll see a huge difference and I must say a huge thank you again to the chairman who went along with us to the different areas with a view to see how he can use his influence to talk to his villagers with a view to ensure that we bring this contraband issue to a halt especially knowing the situation that we're in at this time."

And with the pleasantries came a warning.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"What we'll be doing after today is that we are going to put in place a joint police and military patrol in the area to ensure that we monitor the different areas that we know are being used as the routes for this contraband and anyone who is caught with contraband or going over the mexican side and coming back over to Belize will be dealt with severely under the state of emergency regulations because we have to make people understand that these activities at this time, they don't only put themselves at risk but they put the entire nation at risk."

Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir how long will that joint task force be working in the area?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Well as long as it is necessary we're not going to get out of this now. The state of emergency goes until the end of june and depending on where we are then it will determine whether it's going to be extended or lifted. I'm not going to give a deadline as to when the operation is going to leave from the area but it will be here for as long as it is necessary."

"We have to look to see how we can use technology with a view to be able to assist us in stopping this from occurring and I believe that establishing a WhatsApp group will be very helpful where villagers may see or know persons who are engaging in the contraband trade or going over the Mexican side and coming back over. That they can report these activities on the blog. And in situations where they don't want to report on the blog where other people might see whose reporting then they can give the information directly to the officer in charge who will then ensure that police officers are sent into the area."

When asked how long the authorities would remain in the village the Commissioner wouldn't give a timeline; he merely said that they'll be there for as long as necessary.

Tune in next Tuesday for part two of this story when we take you to Santa Cruz village - which is the other hotspot across from Botes, Mexico.