A dramatic seafood bust has ended with more than ninety-four thousand dollars in fines and penalties for one of two men detained in the operation. Fisheries officers and police intercepted a pickup truck along the Hattieville-Boom Road early Thursday morning after a brief pursuit. Inside, authorities discovered more than six hundred pounds of suspected illegally imported seafood, including two hundred and ninety pounds of tilapia fillets, three hundred and thirty-five pounds of jumbo shrimp and fourteen octopuses. Officers detained two men and later charged them with offences linked to the alleged smuggling operation. In the Magistrate’s Court today, Leslie Lizarraga pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a total of ninety-four thousand and fifteen dollars. Prosecutors withdrew the charge against the second man. Attorney David McKoy, who represented the accused, later provided more details about the case.
David McKoy
David McKoy, Attorney-at-Law
“My client will ordinarily have to pay a fine and he has been cooperating with THE prosecutor, so he will pay his fine. It is his first time that he’s been caught up with this type of offense. So he’ll pay his fine and will continue with his life. The facts that were read by the prosecutor, my client agreed to it, so, you know, that as far as I can say. I’m sure that he may be in a position to make the payment and because the magistrate explained to him fully what is the his obligation, and if he fails to meet his obligation, the consequences of that. But I do feel that the magistrate was lenient with him given that he is a first-time offender. And I’m sure that he would be in a position to make the payment so that he can continue his life as a businessman.”
Reporter
“Who was the smuggling operation servicing?”
Hampton Gamboa
Hampton Gamboa, Fisheries Officer, Fisheries Department
“Primarily was servicing, a number of resorts, supermarkets and so on that are interested in buying shrimp, octopus as well as tilapia fillets. And we were vigilant in trying to ensure that we capture the parties that were involved and try to put a dent into this type of illegal operation.”
Reporter
“Were these big name hotels and restaurants within the city?”
Hampton Gamboa
“From our observation, there are bi-weekly, smuggling happening and Belize City is not immune to it. It’s also a part of the observation. And this operation on Wednesday night was more targeted for the southern part of the country.”
Fisheries Department Targets Buyers in Illegal Seafood Trade
Thousands of pounds of illegal seafood may have entered Belize during the peak tourism season. Fisheries officials say intelligence points to shipments moving up to four times weekly and supplying businesses in several districts. Investigators are now following the trail to the buyers.
Hampton Gamboa
Hampton Gamboa, Fisheries Officer, Fisheries Department
“We are working on the point of importation right now, and also we are looking at the would-be buyers like what you mentioned who are actually buying these things, all right?”
Reporter
“Traceability. So that means that a restaurant must have their receipts to say where they purchased it from. Where they supply it, correct?”
Hampton Gamboa
“Yes, exactly. Who are they purchasing from? And then that is where we continue our investigation looking, find any kind of information on these individual. We are also doing some work right now, not to disclose too much, but with the same token, we have a lot of partners involved in this illegal activity in terms of other department that we’re working close with in terms of the police, even customs and FIU.”
Reporter
“What, what would be the fine that those restaurants would face if it is that they’re caught with the illegal product?”
Hampton Gamboa
“Well, it’s the same fine that applies. All right? Once we do our traceability, background checks and different thing, and they cannot prove where they purchased these things from. And of course, that was one of the main, when we intercept, that was what we asked the guys them who we found with this product. You know, Can you give us your importation permit? In this case too, what highlights the whole situation is the fact that all these products were still found in their original box from their place of origin.”
The department says intelligence gathered over the past several months revealed that illegal seafood smuggling had become increasingly frequent, with shipments moving through the country as often as four times per week during the peak tourism season before slowing to about twice weekly in recent months.
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