He was once the most powerful man in the Lands Department - but tonight, former Lands Commissioner Wilbert Vallejos is being investigated after a large sum of cash was found in his home in Patchakan. This afternoon the police's Mobile Interdiction Team and the BDF raided the homes of Wilbert and his brother Narciso Vallejos. They weren't at home - because Wilbert had taken Narcicso to see the doctor - as he recovers from COVID 19.

The team didn't find anything in Narciso's house but they did find cash in the home where Wilbert Vallejos lives with his mother.

Police came upon $69,800 Belize dollars, along with $1,170 US dollars, and $10,000 pesos.

Police took his mother into custody - and she remains there. We are told that Wilbert Vallejos is reportedly at a private hospital with his brother. His mother remains detained, and police are asking him to present himself.

A family member told us that the cash can be explained because Wilbur's mother is a major cane farmer - and her son - who works in the US financial sector sent the foreign currency.

Reports say the police have called in the Financial Intelligence Unit to make an assessment. And while having such a large stash of cash can be viewed as suspicious - it's not a crime - and, in these cases, taxes are usually assessed and government takes a chunk.

But, what's interesting is that the family says after they found the cash and detained the parents, police went back and confiscated Vallejos's computer - while only minors were at the house.

We'll keep following this story closely because the view of the Briceno administration is that Vallejos - who served as lands commissioner for 10 years - had knowledge of many land deals under the UDP - deals which are now under studied review for irregularity.

Vallejos told us 7News on Friday that he resigned as Commissioner after a debilitating bout with COVID 19, and because - after 10 years as Commissioner - it was time for someone else to do the job. He had worked in the Ministry for 22 years.

Channel 7