Nov 24, 2014

5 Illegal Cuban Immigrants Busted Near Western Border

DINSDALE THOMPSON
Also in the west, immigration officers on routine patrol in the Cayo District arrested five Cuban nationals who illegally entered the country. Reports are that on Sunday, the Cuban nationals were detained on the Santa Cruz Road on this side of the border in the company of Belizean, Clefido Balam. It is believed that the Cubans entered illegally from Guatemala and were caught moments after they were picked up by Balam. The group was transported to the San Ignacio Police Station and today, Balam was arraigned in the magistrate’s court for Aiding Illegal Immigrants. It is suspected that the group intended to head to the U.S. and from what we know, they have been interviewed by U.S. personnel. News Five spoke with Officer Commanding San Ignacio Police, Superintendent Dinsdale Thompson, whose station is assisting the immigration department.

Supt. Dinsdale Thompson, O.C., San Ignacio Police Formation
“In relation to the Cuban nationals, it was immigration who detained them and brought them to our station. They have gone to the court along with a Belizean. The Belizean was offered bail and so that matter is in front of the court. It is not the police who detained them, but we are offering support to the detention and other court issues pertaining to that.”

Duane Moody
“Is there any information that you can give us at this time? As in where they were detained or anything like that?”

Supt. Dinsdale Thompson
“Yes, they were detained in Benque Viejo area; that’s what I did understand from the immigration personnel.”

Duane Moody
“They were heading out of the country or they came into the country?”

Supt. Dinsdale Thompson
“They were coming into the country.”

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/106605