Is Belize now classifiable as a cocaine producing country? It's an issue that the security apparatus has not been public about - but it's one that it increasingly has to come to terms with after a number of coca plantations, and at least one rudimentary cocaine lab was found in Belize.
The BDF has been leading the way in finding the plantations in remote and difficult to reach parts of the Toledo and Cayo districts. We spoke to the General today - who explained that coca cultivation is on the rise in neighboring countries as well:
Azariel Loria, Brigadier General
"Just last week we continued to destroy coca plantations in that area along the Sarstoon on our side, Who is dealing, who is doing it? We know that the Guatemalans, allegedly, we saw some people running but then we cannot confirm the nationalities."
"So allegedly it's a combination of the villagers from, we think, from the area in southern Belize and also the Guatemalans."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, we are now a cocaine producing country. It's really a reality that has gone under the radar and the BDF has been at the forefront of finding and eradicating these coca fields. How many coca fields have you all eradicated and roughly how many plants I think the last one had, had 5,000 and how many labs have you all found?"
Azariel Loria, Brigadier General
"I think that the first time that we destroyed a coca plantation was last year, exactly one year. But prior to that we knew that the Guatemalans had destroyed some and the Hondurans. Coca plantations in Honduras have turned to be like marijuana plantation and also in Guatemala, especially in the northern portions of Guatemala."
"And do you think that we just finished a meeting with the Mexican Armed Forces and even they too they are reporting that they have been starting to have these coca plantations in some of their southern states."
"So it's here in Belize as well and we have destroyed from then to now a number of coca plantations and the last one that we destroyed had over 5,000 plants."
Jules Vasquez
"So you've destroyed at least three. Reports are that there were also cocaine labs to harvest the coca from the plant and convert it to cocaine?"
Azariel Loria, Brigadier General
"That we found a rudimentary laboratory in which we found the coca paste, just a little, I don't know if it was an, they were trying to do an experimental phase of it. I don't know, it's just allegation."
"We brought it in, we took it to the forensics department and I believe that it confirmed that it is indeed cocaine."
We note that if Belize is classified by the US as a cocaine producing country - it would be a significant development with far reaching implications.
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