AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Nation Crime Control Mafia boss caught in San Pedro

San Pedro Police arrested a man from the Slovak Republic who is wanted for a double in his home country. According to Police, 42 year old Karol Mello, described as a 'mafia boss', is accused of organizing a double murder in the village of Most pri Bratislave in 2004.

According to the Slovak Spectator Publication, the special prosecutor in the Slovak Republic Katarína Kudj�kov� has also announced that she believes Mello was involved in the murder of Peter Čongr�dy, the alleged boss of the Bratislava underworld. After Mello was in hiding for several years, a Polish special police force arrested him in October 2010 but he was released in May 2011 by Slovak courts, reportedly due to procedural errors by a court. After being detained again, he filed a complaint and was released from pre-trial custody for a second time later in the same month. He has been at large since then until his arrest on July 11th in San Pedro Town, Belize.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun

Slovak Gangster May Fight His Expulsion From Belize

Last Thursday 7news broke the story about Mello Karol - the international fugitive form the Slovak Republic who was found on San Pedro, living with his family and running a business.

Since then, we've been trying to get information on this sensational capture from police, but it's been like pulling teeth.

Finally today, the police press office sent out a preposterous release, asking for the media's, quote, "usual co-operation to withhold information regarding MELLO Karol."

The press officer, Fitzroy Yearwood adds, quote "I am not at liberty to release any information concerning Karol Mello at this time." First of all, on the part of this station, there is no usual or unusual cooperation with police to withhold any information - those are the norms for a police state, not an informed democracy.

Second, we suspect that local authorities want a hush kept because the government is trying to get an expulsion order issued as quietly as possible - and be finished with the situation.

But, reports are that he has retained a British Queen's Counsel and local legal representation to fight his expulsion. They would do that on the basis that he entered the country legally - and should be entitled to some kind of hearing before he is expelled.

As we have reported, Mello is reputed to be a big fish in the eastern European underworld. The 42 year old is wanted by Interpol and was caught last week Wednesday on Pescador Drive in San Pedro after months of being in Belize. He is an alleged mafia boss wanted for setting up a double murder in 2004.

After successfully eluding arrest for six years, Polish special police forces arrested Mello in Krakow in October 2010 but he was released from custody last May by a Slovak court, reportedly due to procedural errors. Now he is being sought on a European and international arrest warrant.

Reports suggest that the Slovak Government has a jet on standby in Guatemala to shuttle him away the minute he is expelled from Belize.

Channel 7

Alleged Slovakian Gangster Is Bze'an Permanent Resident

Alleged international fugitive and Slovakian gangster Karol Mello is also a permanent resident of Belize! That's what has come out of a special Supreme Court hearing granted to his local attorney Godfrey Smith who today got an injunction restraining the Minister of Immigration from expelling the 42 year old citizen of the Slovak Republic.

Tonight, the alleged Eastern European gangster and international fugitive remain detained at the Eastern Division police station - but he cannot be expelled without first being given a hearing.

Smith told us about it at the Supreme Court this afternoon:..

Godfrey Smith, Attorney
"Shortly after midday we manage to get an injunction until he has given an opportunity to be heard."

Jules Vasquez
"What moves are a foot right now as far as you know?"

Godfrey Smith, Attorney
"I am glad you said as far as I know because Mr. Karol Mello hasn't been given any papers, any notice of any charges, any complaints. He was just picked up and our understanding is that he is wanted by the Slovakian government. We as his legal representatives have not been told anything. We were told that the process for removing him from Belize is underway and that he is repatriated to send to Slovakia hence we had to move for an injunction."

"The minister has powers under the immigration and nationality act and he has powers under the aliens act. But I think a close reading of both pieces of legislation will demonstrate or indicate that you can't just apply the power willy nilly. What I know is that Mr. Karol Mello is a permanent resident, he has a valid work permit, he has a family, a wife in Belize. I am not aware of the existence of a son, that maybe and is carrying business in San Pedro Ambergris Caye."

Jules Vasquez
"Did he obtain his entrance to Belize or his permanent residence through any illicit means?"

Godfrey Smith, Attorney
"I presented to what appears to be very valid papers for him."

Jules Vasquez
"The Minister of Immigration, the Government is injuncted - is restrained from making any moves to expel unless..?"

Godfrey Smith, Attorney
"Until he has given an opportunity to be heard."

Jules Vasquez
"Will that be a hearing in court or will that be an audience with the relevant minister?"

Godfrey Smith, Attorney
"Depending on what power the minister seeks to exercise."

Jules Vasquez
"Isn't it within the government's rights though to eject someone who appears to be an international fugitive?"

Godfrey Smith, Attorney
"The Immigration act and the Aliens act confirms the relevant minister - the Minister of Immigration fairly wide powers to do exactly what you said but in accordance with law, in accordance with what is generally termed as due process."

A two-page statement from the family of Karol Mello was sent to 7news this afternoon. It says that Mello and his family, with a new Belizean born child have been living in San Pedro for "over twelve months."

It stresses that he entered the country legally using his real name and has not been on the run, but is only seeking refuge from what the release calls a corrupt Slovak government.

They claim he is being targeted by that government because he owned a casino. It adds that he has been cleared in the Slovak courts three times - and now the family has retained Edward Fitzgerald, a highly regarded British Queen's Counsel and Human Rights specialist to defend him.

He says they want him now to face charges that he has already been cleared of. The statement adds that since being detained in san Pedro last week Wednesday, he has not been fed, allowed a change of clothes or the opportunity to brush his teeth.

We could not get comment from the police on this claim since they don't want it reported on in any form.

Channel 7

Family Issues Personal Press Release regarding Karol Mello

The family of Karol Mello would first like to thank the Country of Belize and the Hon. Dean Barrow with particular thanks to San Pedro where Mr. Mello and his family have lived, have given birth to their second child, and have been a welcomed asset to the community for over twelve months.

Mr. Mello was not here in hiding or under any false identities and the fact is that he entered the country legally using his name. He has not been on the run but only seeking refuge from constant persecution from a corrupt Government. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWBIGOVANTCOR/Resources/slovrep44.pdf Mr. Mello was released by Slovakian Courts four separate times based on the ruling of a previous judge which all four rulings were upheld by the Slovakian Supreme Court.

Through the courts of Poland back to the supreme courts of Slovakia, Mr. Mello was detained without any evidence and all court documents currently in our counsel's possession will prove that he has and will continue to be vindicated.

We would like to state only facts as we are preparing to fight all charges through our counsel Mr. Edward Fitzgerald QC, a known activist on human rights, false imprisonment, and extradition.

Mr. Mello was detained by San Pedro police on Wednesday afternoon; he was escorted to his home where an immigration officer confiscated his wife and children's credentials with a promise to return them upon receiving Mr. Mello's credentials that were not in their possession at that time. He was returned to the San Pedro police station where he was detained until being transferred to Belmopan for questioning on Thursday morning. He was never read his rights for due process and only asked what his name was and he was finger printed. He was transferred after 72 hours in the middle of night to Belize City were he still has not been read his rights nor has he been fed, allowed a change of clothes, or even allowed to brush his teeth since leaving San Pedro.

Mr. Mello has been exonerated by Poland's high courts and a certified transcript of the judge's ruling will be forthcoming within the next few days. Mr. Mello was and continues to be an upstanding businessman who has been branded by a very corrupt government due in a large part to his business practice of owning a casino. Mr. Mello's homeland is one of the highest ranked countries for government corruption, bribery and false imprisonment.

Mr. Mello's counsel is in possession of court documents that prove that he is a victim of his own government's false prosecution in this matter. Their claim is to have him returned to face charges that he has already been cleared of, and is nothing more than a corrupt government extorting an honest businessman. The Slovakian Government has been criticized and accused of not only disregarding Mr. Mello's personal rights and freedoms, but malevolently ignoring International laws and court decisions. They have illegally made failed attempts to go into foreign lands and with untruths attempted to persuade foreign courts to charge or extradite Mr. Mello back to Slovakia.

Mr. Mello came to Belize to find a safe home for his family away from the corruption and malicious false prosecutions of an unstable government. He came to Belize to raise his family, including his Belize born son. Once again, Mr. Mello is being dragged into yet another court to answer to these false charges and accusations.

We are confident that once the Belizean courts have a chance to ascertain all the evidence in this matter including the decisions of other foreign courts, Belize will welcome Mr. Mello as an asset to its societal fabric and find him to be a man falsely persecuted. We ask that the media and citizens of Belize give Mr. Mello and his family an honest unbiased ear as you would want the same for you and your family.

San Pedro Sun

Bravo!

I love a well written statement.

If you click on the link to the San Pedro Sun, check out the "comments" rebutting this statement.

With that kind of criminal background to begin with how did he get residency? No one seems to be asking that question? Wonder how much it cost our upstanding resident?

How did he get his residency? Supposedly one year from sometime in 2010? But he was picked up in Prague and was detained for months, so when did the one year of complete stay in Belize occur to get his residency?

There are a lot of ways for people to manipulate the system by using expeditors who take short cuts to obtain immigration status in Belize for their clients - and it is all fine and dandy until a flaw is discovered and then when an investigation is launched to check why or how someone received legal status without the full check list being satisfied it casts suspicion on all of the other people who obtained their status around the same time. No doubt Immigration will be ripping through files and unearthing a number of "errors" that might need in-depth scrutiny.