We haven't reported on a drug plane landing in Belize since that famous
one off the Coastal highway on February 27th. But, after that long
break - a drug plane landed in Belize early this morning, around 5:00.
And this one seems to have had a rushed near-crash landing in one of
the northernmost parts of the country.
But it's no triumph for the cops, with the plane's contents having
vanished shortly after touchdown. Cherisse Halsall has the story of how
they're trying to find it.
The plane is a Hawker Siddeley HS 125, similar to two others piled up like
collector's items at the BDF's air wing.
Still, this one is notable as the first to have happened during Belize's
state of emergency - and the first known landing on this particular stretch
of road. And this morning when it touched down between the villages of
Chunox and Sarteneja - in the Corozal District. Police had to scramble to
effect a quick response.
But they were beaten to the location by drug runners likely guided by these
mysterious markers.
This plane is considerably smaller than the last one found off the coastal
highway. It was found around 6:00 this morning and when villagers came upon
it, the engine was still running suggesting that the pilots bailed in a
hurry. Police and BDF are still in the area conducting searches for a
possible stash house.
Amidst the chaotic morning village chairman, Jose Reyes, who could only
rely on a post-event report from his dock workers.
Jose Reyes - Chairman, Chunox Village
"I was sleeping and I came by the seaside because we are working on the
boats and they mentioned to me If I heard the plane and I told him no
because I just woke up. So I asked them if they saw the plane and they told
me yes they saw it like 6:00 o'clock in the morning but after like half an
hour a person came to our side and they told him to, that the plane landed
over there by the Sarteneja road. I asked them if they saw something
strange or so but they said they didn't see anything strange like cars or
nothing to the village."
Cherisse Halsall
"And no notices of no boat engines or..."
Jose Reyes
"No, no, nothing, nothing."
But if the drugs didn't leave by land or by sea, they'd had to have
remained in the area. That's the theory the cops were operating under.
Police have blocked off the Pueblo Nuevo ferry in order to trap a large
shipment of cocaine that landed this morning. They're hoping that by
locking off this ferry they can limit the routes available to Narcos who
must get their cargo northbound. 00:18
Back at the landing site, we caught the national scenes of the crime team
collecting their samples, in what seems a futile task with no product to be
spoken of.
Nevertheless, the site remained under armed guard.
For the sleepy village of Chunox, only accessible by ferry, or the hour and
a half drive through an Orange Walk backroad, this plane landing was a
truly shocking event.
Jose Reyes
"According to what I know the plane landed in a field towards the bush.
Well we're not seeing those things quite, we just listen to the radio and
they land in other places but now we see it over this side. Well kinda
frightened because you know we are not expecting to see things like this
happen this place."
And in the aftermath of an unprecedented event in the village's history, we
asked Reyes how he can hope to protect his villagers from underworld events
that may be taking root in their midst.
Jose Reyes
"The police have circled the area and I just told the villagers if they see
something strange just try to tell the police."
Another plane is said to have landed around the same time across the
border in Mexico. It was found yesterday afternoon in an area of jungle
near the Morocoy community of Chetumal, a large part of it including
it's cabin burnt.
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Jose Reyes - Chairman, Chunox Village