AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Nation DEA check points

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