It was informally dubbed national free zone day, the first day since the zone was opened 12 years ago that ordinary Belizeans would be allowed to enter and be allowed to shop freely. But Saturday was more like a frenzy. In just one day, 5,000 Belizeans went to shop in the zone and of course our 7NEWS team was there. Keith Swift has the story.

Keith Swift Reporting,
This was what inside the Corozal Free Zone looked like at mid-day on Saturday. Traffic was locked bumper-to-bumper, Belizeans swarmed the streets, and flooded the stores - and there was also this: Garifuna dancing and drumming.

It was the first time that the gates of the Zone were opened to regular Belizeans - and they flocked to the Santa Elena Border by the busloads while some drove in their private cars, this vehicle came all the way from Stann Creek, and others trekked the quarter mile journey from the Customs checkpoint to the gates by foot.

Shopper #1,
"I thought it was cheaper and I wanted to know what's all about the Free Zone. That is the reason why I came here."

Shopper #2,
"I came to know the place and came from Ladyville and I came shopping to see what I could pick u for the Christmas."

And most went to the Zone, not as tourists but as bargain hunters - whether it was for cheap clothes, cheap food, or cheap beer.

Shopper #3,
"What brought me to the Free Zone today is that I just wanted to come and check out the cheap stuff."

Shopper #4,
"I needed a little cheaper price and thing."

Keith Swift,
So you were looking for?

Shopper #5,
"Well get things a little cheaper."

Keith Swift,
This was your first time in the Zone?

Shopper #5,
"First time, I came for the experience too."

Keith Swift,
Was it what you expected it to be?

Shopper #5,
"Not really. To me it is like when you go to Chetumal, the same set up."

Shopper #6,
"I took this opportunity because some of the stuff are cheaper here and because I think we Belizeans deserve this opportunity."

Shopper #7,
"They say you get things cheap and that so I just came to buy with my family and came to enjoy the timing and this and that...they got everything right here."

The Corozal Free Zone estimates that 6,000 Belizeans will come here today looking for deals. And just for some perspective, that 6,000 does not include the Mexicans who come here on a daily basis. For the businessmen here in the zone who've had a less than spectacular year so far, today was good news.

Sanju Chulani, Mirage International
"Compared to last year, yes the sales have been down comparatively and this is going to boost us. There have been problems in Mexico as we all know so that has affected the sales and then the hurricanes. So that all put together has affected our sales."

Businessman #2,
"For me it is just normal business. We were expecting a lot of people, we heard about a hundred buses were coming and Belizeans in cars. So that is an additional crowd coming into the Zone so we just filled up the stores and kept some security outside to handle the crowd."

Joel Cervantes is the Free Zone's Chief Executive Officer.

Joel Cervantes, CEO - CFZ
"They are really hopeful to have a boost in sales which they have lost, especially since, you need to remember that our neighboring Tabasco people were greatly damaged by the floods and so forth and they were one of our highest purchasers within the Free Zone."

But the news wasn't good for all shoppers, some were disappointed by the prices.

Shopper #3,
"They say the stuff is cheap but I don't think so. Everything is expensive, everything is like in U.S. dollars and they say everything will be cheap but to me everything is expensive."

Shopper #8,
"They say it is cheap but I feel like when we reached across here they raised the prices because this is US$3.10 and this is like so much Belize and then it expensive so I say the same prices that are in Belize, are at the Free Zone so it makes no sense."

Shopper #9,
"I think it comes to the same thing like Belize because I shop a lot in Belize and I see a lot of things in my bag are the same prices."

Shopper #1,
"To me things here, some of them are the same price as Belize and some of them are more expensive than in Belize."

And though it was the Free Zone, nothing in life is for free and the visibility of Customs Officers within the zone was a reminder to shoppers like Guadalupe Godoy from Corozal that she would have to pay 42% tax on whatever she bought.

Guadalupe Godoy, Shopper
"I don't want to spend too much right now because I am afraid they will charge me something at the border.."

Executive Chairman of the Corozal Free Zone Valdemar Castillo says Customs officers weren't supposed to be in the Zone.

Keith Swift,
Why invite people into the zone when you're going to have so many restrictions on them?

Hon. Valdemar Castillo,
"I have been informed that the Customs personnel are in the Zone. That is not supposed to be. I think the Customs' job is to be at the checkpoint when Belizeans are coming back to Belize so I have looked into that matter already."

Castillo says it was his idea to open the zone. He scoffed at the suggestion that it might be a political gimmick.

Keith Swift,
So this is not a political gimmick?

Hon. Valdemar Castillo, Executive Chairman - CFZ
"No it's not a political gimmick. It's a request from the Belizean people."

Keith Swift,
It's not an election goody?

Hon. Valdemar Castillo,
"No because on the 22nd of September of this year I allowed Belizeans to come into the Zone and it wasn't election at that time."

And political gimmick or not - the idea was sold on Belizean shoppers. Most left with more bags than they could carry - a sight that may sour the thoughts of many merchants outside the zone who see this as their loss. But government definitely isn't losing - and we'll guess, that like the overburdened shoppers - Customs collected similarly moneybags for government's coffers.

There is no tally on how much money was spent by Belizeans in the Zone. The Customs Department says there were no arrests for taking contraband items out of the zone. Police also say that while numerous people were warned for disorderly conduct, no one was charged. The second free zone day will be on Saturday December 15th.