8/9/2019 Belize a Tourism Paradise For Drugs & Human Trafficking

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BelizeaTourismParadiseForDrugs&HumanTrafficking

Drug&HumanTraffickingBelizenotaTourismParadise

ADEAmapthatcametoourattentionrevealsSanPedroandotherwater-accessedlocationsinBelizearestopoverdepotsfordrugs,mostlycocaine,enroutefromSouthAmericatotheUS.WhatsbadabouttheSanPedrosituationisthatORTa

lreadyred-flaggeditforaconcentrationofbarsfeaturinghumantraffickingvictims.

Itsimportantthattravelersknowtherewere100drug-relatedmurdersinBelizelastyear.WethinktravelersconsideringaholidayinBelizeshouldknowthat.

Wehaventchangedtracks,no.WeareexpandingourBelizetourismboycotttoincludeananti-drugtraffickingawarenessdrive,complementingourfoundinganti-humantraffickingcause.WefeelresponsibletouristswanttoknowthatBelize,andinparticularSanPedro,aredangerousdoubleoffenders.

SanPedro,AmbergrisCayewelcomeddrugboatslastyeartoitsislandlandings.TheislandandtheTownofSanPedrodontlimitthemselvestojustreceivingthecokeandsendingitofftothenextgroupinthewholesalechain.ThereisplentyofdangerouscrimespilloverfromthedrugtradeinSanPedroAmbergrisCaye.

WevementionedinotherpostingsthegenerallevelofcorruptionthatpervadesSanPedroAmbergrisCaye.IremindyouherethattheMayorElsaPazisacorruptpoliticianwhodispensesliquorlicensesontheislandlikeshewassellingwarmbreadallforaprice.ThentheresBidDaddys,whichsheco-ownswithherbrother.Itsahubforsellinghumantraffickingvictimsanddrugdealing.Thepolicearefrequentcustomersandalsogettheircutforturningablindeyetothedealingsthatgoonthere.Theyalsoprovideprivatesecurityforthepla

ce.Mostofthetimetheydontevenbothertochangeoutoftheiruniforms.

Remember,SanPedroAmbergrisCaye,population12,000,features90fichabarswherehumantraffickingvictimsareonofferinforcedprostitution.On-premisesprostitutioncarriesafineof$50(Belize)forbarowners.Lastyearandtheyearbeforeandtheyearbeforethattherewasnotasingleinstanceofbarownersfinedfortheoffence.Youdothemath.

SuperintendentDennisArnold,whosinchargeofpolicingthearea,runsastrangecopshop.Forexample,lettinghisstaffhangouttoprotecttheMayorsbarandallofitsactivities,humantraffickingincluded.Heisalsonotimmunetothelureofovertimepay.HisAnti-DrugsUnitworksinmysteriousways.

TheactionsoftheSanPedroAnti-DrugsUnitdonotfollowacceptedpoliceprotocol.Lastyeartheunit,claiminginformationfromalocalresident,weretippedofftoa25-kilogramcocainefindwithastreetvalueof$500,000(Belize).Fivemenwerekilledintheaftermath.Thedrugsdisappearedalongwiththemoney.Therehasbeennofollow-upinvestigationofthedrugandmoneydisappearances.

Furtherspilloverofdrug-relatedcrimeintotheSanPedroareainvolvedtorture,gunfireandmurderforsmalltimeoperatorswhogotcaughtbyhigher-leveldealers.Atleast,onthesurfacethatiswhatappearstohavehappened.Giventhelevelofcorruptioninthecommunity,itshardtoknowwhichbadguysdidwhattothesesmall-timeplayers.To-date,therearenoarrestsandnoconvictionsrelatedtothismatter.

Inanycase,weareamplifyingourwarningtotouristsandpotentialtravelerstoBelize,andinparticular,SanPedroAmbergrisCaye.Corruption,bytheMayor

8/9/2019 Belize a Tourism Paradise For Drugs & Human Trafficking

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andPoliceSuperintendent,supportsitasahumantraffickinghubandadrug-crimezone.GoingtoBelize,especiallySanPedro,isnotrecommendedforthoseinterestedintheirpersonalsafetyandthoseconcernedwiththepainofhumantraffickingvictims.Thinkingandresponsibletravelerswillnotgothere.