Tonight, authorities in Venezuela are trying to find out more about a possible narco plane which entered their airspace yesterday. The plane was destroyed by their military. It's making news in Belize because the plane carries a Belize registration number. But that's only the beginning of the story. Jomarie Lanza found out that this illicit incursion into Venezuelan airspace is a weird kind of return flight. Here's more:
This is the Gulfstream G2 Jet that was intercepted off the Coastal Highway in the Belize District on February 27th 2020, with 70 bales of cocaine on board. It was named one of the biggest drug busts in Belizean history and a huge victory for law enforcement, only to be eclipsed within just a few hours by news of the worst air tragedy to occur in BDF history. Four soldiers, died in a helicopter crash in the pre-dawn hours - shortly after the jet was found. They were a part of the security forces response to the plane landing.
Fast forward four years and that plane is in the news again.
It was destroyed by the Venezuelan military yesterday.
According to a tweet from the Venezuelan military, the twin engine Gulfstream 200 or G-2 aircraft, which is registered in Belize under the call letters, V3-GRS, was "destroyed" by the Venezuelan Armed Forces in Zulia, Venezuela yesterday.
The Venezuelan radar picked up on the aircraft entering its airspace without permission, and activated its defense plan to destroy the airplane. The Venezuelan National Guard suspects that this aircraft may have originated from Cozumel, believed to be trafficking possibly drugs and weapons.
Now, in some sort of boomerang effect, 4 years ago this plane came to Belize from…..
posted (February 27, 2020)
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"This morning early around 12:15, 12:30 thereabout a track was observed leaving Venezuela heading our way."
And it ends, where it began, back in Venezuela in a ball of fire and narco intrigue.
But, the most intriguing part is that it only left Belize 11 days before it ended back up in Venezuela!
7News has. Learned that it's one of three jets that the government of Belize sold off to a Mexican out of Cozumel. Mechanics were here in Belize for months working on the jet to make it airworthy.
The CEO Of the Department of Civil Aviation Nigel Carter has confirmed, quote, "The V3-GRS was a confiscated aircraft that was purchased from the Government of Belize and subsequently registered in Belize for the purpose of export. On January 14 the aircraft departed Belize en route for Cozumel, as it was exported to Mexico. The aircraft's authorizations expired on January 20, 2024 after which Belize had no further responsibility for said aircraft."
So, 11 days after it left Belize, it ended up here.
The government of Belize - reportedly under pressure from the US - has since ended the practice of selling these confiscated narco - planes because they usually end up being rehabilitated for the purpose of narcotrafficking.
Of the three planes sold in this group - our information is that all three went to Cozumel.
When the planes leave Belize - they are de-registered and de-certified - on the understanding that the new owner would have to re-register them in Mexico - which apparently did not happen in this case.
Belize reportedly has one more G2 in the air wing at the BDF base, while three others that were struck in remote area near Monkey River and Crooked Tree have reportedly been destroyed by authorities so that they cannot be re-used.
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