As we told you earlier, officials are calling this one of the most successful joint law enforcement operations in recent history and today, they brought the receipts. Top leaders from across Belize’s security agencies came together at a press conference to walk us through how this high‑stakes mission unfolded. Commissioner of Police Richard Rosado revealed new details about the challenges the pilots faced, including problems coordinating with contacts on the ground. And it wasn’t just police; both the Belize Defense Force Commander and the Coast Guard Commandant outlined the critical roles their teams played in bringing this massive operation to a successful end.
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“There were certain communication devices that I believe did not allow the pilots to communicate to the individual on the ground.”
Reporter
“Was it a force landing, the intended landing site or were they out of options?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“From all indications and evidential material, that location was the intended place for the aircraft to have landed.”’
Anthony Velasquez
Brigadier General Anthony Velasquez, Commander, BDF
“When we took custody of the aircraft, after a brief examination by Belize Defense Force Air Wing technicians, we determined the aircraft was rigged for transporting cargo and for having extra fuel capacity. It was not a standard Cessna aircraft. It was rigged for having extra fuel capacity. Yes there is still extra fuel in the aircraft at the point where we examined it. The aircraft still had enough fuel to fly somewhere else if it chose to, when it landed.”
Gregory Soberanis
Captain Gregory Soberanis, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
“This was a multi domain approach to this intercept, both as it relates to land, air and sea. We provided maritime component to this operation. As the commissioner alluded, this is an area in close proximity to our coastline. It is an area we are familiar with. So, we were able to respond quickly when called upon for support by the police department.”
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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