Imagine my surpise when I pulled up to a (passive) police check point on the Northern hywy outside of OW town and a blonde haired blue eyed US DEA agent stopped my vehicle (with drug sniffing dogs). I was concerned about the constitutionality of a foreign legal enforcement agent who has no jurisdiction in Belize acting in a law enforcement capacity. They told me to pull over and present ID, which I refused to do unless was directed to by the Belize police. Like you being stopped at a check point on Main St USA by Belize police. But not like being stopped at the same in Bagdad. Was also angry DEA would waste its resources on chump drug busts while everyone knows where to find the tons moving north from Columbia to the US. PS-I was traveling south, in the opposite direction of the significant trafficing route.
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US DEA would have the right to partake in law enforcement in Belize if they were working with with the Belize police at the invitation of the Belize government.

.....still you'd have thought they'd let the Belizians do the talking, assumming there were some present. What happened when you refused?

Chris is correct, and with the recent US "gifts" to the governement you can be happy that the US is Helping.

Clover, there are many other "wasterful" things you can write about that would get more attention.

Kinda strange how after the US "freed" Afganistan, it continues to produce 90% of the World's heroine. I guess they skipped that part of "keeping the world safe".

It seems a shipment most have went missing again.

SIN

Glad to hear it. Some of us feel more comfortable in life with a little US government protection and intervention.

"Reasonable" expectations of privacy and free speech etc. went out of the window after the terror attacks on the Twin Towers.

If the US is willing to provide additional law enforcement resources to us we'll take it - with THANKS.

One would expect that those with something to hide would learn that they can no longer hide in Belize.

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

You are right about that Law.

I didn't say it, but I entirely agree w/ it and am very concerned about the errosion of basic freedoms being evidenced under the present administration.

I don't think Belize has a "probable cause" statute.

I agree. Yes things have changed in light of past events. However, carte blanche and blantant disregard of due process are inexcusable.

"paranoia will destroy ya"

The Kinks

The DEA is in Belize at the request of the GOB. Belize lacks the neccessary interdiction resources to stop the Colombian drug flow. Belize is one of the problem drug countries in the World. It is used to move Colombian drugs to the U.S. through Mexico. The Colombian and Mexican drug cartels have formed a partnersheip to accomplish this. In most cases the drugs our brought into the Belize coastline and are funneled into Mexico along the Belize/Mexico border. The northern highway into the Corozal commerical free zone and the Santa Elena border crossing is one of the major roads used. It is estimated by some that as much of 50% of the cocaine coming to the U.S. flows through Belize.

Why do you really think the Mexican government built the canal de Zaragoza just north of AC. Who funded it?

Politics, corruption and incompetence have hurt Belize police efforts. Even though some have been identified no prominent citizen has been sent to jail in Belize although a few have been involved.

You might not like that fact that the DEA is in Belize but if you think that there is a minor problem in Belize you are grossly mistaken.

"Being paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't really out to get you."

i believe more drugs flow through Guatemala than do Belize.

Curb use in the US, solve the problem at home and then target Colombia, Mexico and Belize.

How comes young urbanites (users) are tageted for having weapons and gun manufactures (suppliers) are traded on the NYSE? and at the same time drug abuse (users) flourishes in most US towns and billions are spent chasing the drug manufactures (suppliers) and thier distributors?

Clean up your own yard first, kinda like, "Remove the rafter from your own eye.....".

I never understood how you can get a license for a 9mm (killing tool) but can't smoke a joint in most parts of North America.

SIN

Not the case Casa. It not even close its due to the shallow waters, islands and coastline. Most of the Cocaine flowing through Mexico ( which is 70% of the total) transits through Belize.

I've no problem with DEA in Belize and I've have been friendly with a few agents posted here over the years. It was the frontline and official role these DEA played that I object to. I'm not getting drawn into a debate on this, I've already discussed this with a former US Amb to Belize, the former Brigadier General of the Belize Defense Force, an attorney, a couple of politicians, spokesperson for the police and just plain nice people who said its legally and diplomatically wrong. DEA play a supporting and training role. They can chase a drug boat in Belize territorial waters, but can not act in an official law enforcemant capacity to seize and arrest. In fact, anything they seize would be throw out of court. Belizeans have to board the boat and make the arrests. Oh, and about Belize inviting the DEA here? We say yes because theres foreign aid dollars attached. And cause we can't say no. Maybe we can put up a checkpoint in the US to stop the guns from coming South? Same supply and demand theory.

SIN the good family man. Are you still hitting whore houses in Belize City? I can see you're still into all you porn sites. Nothing like a liberal perv.

I do believe you are smart enough to know that the U.S. approach to fighting its drug problem has many approachs. Interdiction of suppliers is just one front. The GOB asked for help. Hope you don't stumble into some drug runners sometime.

Bringing up social issues in the U.S. is just a smoke screen on this issue. Just like bringing up that you are really a closet prev not the great family man you pretend to be.

the majority of what they fly in goes to guatemala, because they have numerous airstrips, the majority of what comes by boat comes thorugh belize. i have came across a live drug trade in belize before when i was younger.

http://www.dea.gov/pubs/states/newsrel/nyc030206.html

http://www.dea.gov/pubs/cngrtest/ct110905.html

Katie- Did the DEA agent "sieze (drugs) and arrest" you?

If I were Belize I'd tax the drugs going through the country....Lord knows Belize could use the money.

P.S. Drug and gun runners gotta eat too.

Katie

You are right DEA agents should only be assisting,training and providing resources. I did not state otherwise.

I do doubt they were looking for something small. Drug traffic flows both ways in that area. The cartels change plans and crossings daily with Belize/Guatemala/Mexico being a common path also.

I not getting drawn in either. It is possible to discuss this is much greater detail but it would do no good. This is my last post on this thread.

After a short review of the board I think we ought to recall the DEA agents and export cheese instead. PS SIN- Kalashnikovs are not made in the US.

Drug runners do not only run drugs, but also the money that pays for the drugs. The sniffer dogs are trained to smell cash too. Katie - did they seize a stash of cash from you? Come on, you can tell us

don't quit guys good thread

Yeah, I have seen cash sniffing dogs at BZE going thru the lines of people on their way in to the country, before customs/immigration. I thought they were drug sniffers but thought it would be weird checking incoming passengers, but later a Bz police officer said they were sniffing for cash.

wow. I will be more observant next time I go through customs at BZE.

Just a thought guys. In US:
Guns -- legal
Drugs -- illegal

Yet, we still have a problem with both. So as a libertarian, how bout we make some drugs legal, tax the hell out of them, and drive blackmarketeers in Belize and Guat out of business in favor of legitimate trade.

Heavily armed drugrunners go bye-bye, corruptions slows down dramatically, and we can start to spend tax dollars on drug abuse social problems where it will really help people instead of drug interdiction efforts overseas.

Just a thought...

Belikin Bill - thanks for proving your intelligence to us all. "I do believe you are smart enough to know" personal attacks are the best way to win an arguement.

Wish you could have been a cop, true?

Not my line of work but as for drug runners, yeah, I know em' well Billy-Bob. Some active, some retired, some dead and some in Mexican and US prisons (it's a small country). They actually would like to meet you and your family #8559.

You actually think the corruption stops at the Belize border? The US and Mexcian Governments had/have it's role in flooding its borders with all sorts of narcotics over the years.

FYI: Dryer sheets (fabric softner) and Crisco is the best way to cloak your cash and other items from those federal kanines.

Otter - excellent!

SIN

I agree with SIN? -- whch sign of the apocolypse is that?

That was my first thought too.
Reminds me of that movie Air America with Mel Gibson and Robert Downey jr.

Don't know if I like the idea of smelling like Crisco

Belize has always been a smuggler state:

Colonial times = pirates
Civil War period = guns
Prohibition = booze
70's/80's = weed
70's to present = cocaine/heroine/humans

God forbid someone should try to smuggle some extra cash in to spend on the belize economy. Thats like shooting yourself in the foot (dryer sheets huh?)

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Hi all,
remember that Belize is its own country with its own laws. If they're Ok with having the DEA pull their nazi act in Belize, we Americans don't have a lot to say about it. "Constitutionality" depends on the constitution of Belize, and I for one am not familiar with that document. Please understand, I'm not busting your chops, but it's their country and we can't try to apply our concepts of constitutionality to it.

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Dan

Was anything siezed...or was anyone arrested by DEA? If not it appears they are doing their "supporting" role.

For me the issue is not whether Belize has a "probable cause" statute or what their constitution provides; but rather, what is the efficacy of US law enforcement agents in a foreign country enforcing foreign laws in ways that would not be permissible in this country? I am opposed to this sort of "internationalization" of US criminal law enforcement. For starters, we're not doing a very good job here, so what makes us think we can get the job done elsewhere? (i.e: at some point in their lives 1 out of every 10 persons in California will spend time in custody, the vast majority related to drug offenses.) Additionally, I understand that the spin is that this is "bilateral investigative activity" within "host" countries; I doubt that US agents are "hosted" voluntarily and am inclined to agree with Katie that it's the result of financial blackmail. Canada has slapped DEA's hands on more than one ocassion for being a tad overzealous, but they're in a different position than Latin American countries.
Based on 20+ years in the criminal justice system, I thought the movie "Traffic" was pretty accurate. The war on drugs in neither a war, nor about drugs.

very well stated. The "war" may very well be on our urban youth.

I think they are looking for help in enforcing their onw drug laws, and are additionally grateful for the aid associated with The US and the DEA.
http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2004/08/10/rating.htm

Those that would give up essential liberty in pursuit of a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security... Benjamin Franklin

From Channel 5:

Who's in charge at checkpoint: Belize police or D.E.A.?

There is a major anti-drug operation underway in the Orange Walk district, but disturbing reports from Belizeans stopped at a checkpoint on the Northern Highway indicate that it is being operated and directed by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Two separate accounts to News Five by extremely reliable witnesses say that at a checkpoint set up near Carmelita, Belizean motorists were stopped and questioned by two obviously foreign men wearing D.E.A. t-shirts and identifying themselves as U.S. agents. In both instances, which occurred Sunday evening, members of the Belize Police Department were present, but standing well in the background and did not participate in the initial encounter. The traffic stops were made by the D.E.A. men who proceeded to question the drivers about where they were going and other routine matters. They were reported to be unfailingly friendly and polite, but when questioned by the motorists as to what was going on, made it clear that they were in a position of authority. When we contacted police press officer G. Michael Reid he admitted that a "regional drug operation" was being conducted to take care of some "increased drug activity" in the area. Reid pointed to the excellent working relationship between U.S. and Belizean law enforcement authorities, but did admit that "it was not normally the policy" for non-Belizeans to be making traffic stops and in fact the D.E.A. "should not be doing that." As for the length of the operation, Reid told News Five that it was "not a permanent thing." According to one of the motorists, however, the D.E.A. agent told him, "you're gonna see a lot of us around."

the facts are that belize is just one of the PAWNS IN THEIR GAME. if you care at all about the blatant rape of our country on ALL levels then you have to divest yourselves from the drug laundering citibank-banamex cartel who carry out the wallstreet-CIA agenda, it turns out that we buy into all this with our credit cards and mortgages ..... CHECK OUT : http://copvcia.com/free/ciadrugs/index.html

If we were cave dwellers hunting animals with sharp sticks we'd be free of this sinister conspiracy! Where'd you buy your computer?

clover, please tell me that wasn't a personal question , as i am the first to admit nobody is innocent of consumer collusion, but if the guys at the border are just trying to keep the "control" in their own court then it does explain alot of the econommic terrorism directed at individuals who have no involvement in the insane manipulation of governmental policy....by the way starting in the early 80's the CIA had hitmen working out of San Pedro to bring renagades in line and reign in the "traffic" that was being run out of Cancun.... bodies floated up on the reef , and no one asked any questions .

I like this #699, a bit refreshing from the other "walk the line" boarders.

SIN

SIN, 699 IS "walking the line"...it's just that it's your line and that's why you like her.

DEA, CIA, "hit men", "floating bodies", "economic terrorism" Where's the info on the CIA Surveillance Satellites? I need more for my book! PS I'm cutting up my Citi card as we speak,........

On a side note from the original thread.....

I've actually met more than one bohemian tourist who brought small amounts of their own pot into Belize for vacation because of the average to poor quality of the local stuff. I found it to be quite moronic that pot was being smuggled South into Belize for personal use.
Nobody complained though...(Cough)...

Bearfoot, have we met? .... maybe we should ask Joe black what he thinks, i for one miss the belize i found in the 80's it was a little less contrived and managed.ah but some babies never learn.who was it that said " mans ignorance and stupidity will be his downfall ? maybe Johnny Cash had it right - WANTED MAN IN OL' SAN PEDRO,WANTED MAN IN BATON ROUGE, ANYWHERE YOU GO TONIGHT YA MIGHT SEE THIS WANTED MAN.....

Jolene,
Have you ever frequented the BS table at Estels with Charlie holding court from the throne in the morning?

yep... we are lucky to say they are our great good friends just about lived there last time we were down ..... it may be called the BS table but where else can ya get the strait poop !! don't know how those guys are doin' but if ya happen t see 'em just say jamie an' jo say hello

the pot in belize is poor? thats sad

just gotta smoke more

Belize it - bigger and longer!

SIN

.... and it's still happening, www.7newsbelize.com/index has a small blurb on a mexican gunman said to be a drug hitman . wonder who he was after?

According to the article:

"Police believe they came to Belize to perform a hit on a drug related crime figure in Orange Walk".

another good quote:


"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the rights of the people by the gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." -James Madison, fourth US president (1751-1836)