ORANGE WALK–An Orange Walk resident who was imprisoned after being accused of trafficking approximately 54.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine or “crystal meth”, a highly addictive, contemporary drug, was offered bail of $50,000 in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court today by Justice Herbert Lord.
The bail was offered on the condition that Ruperto Reyes, 49, surrender all of his travel documents, and that he report to the Orange Walk Police Station three times each week until the case is concluded.
Reyes was represented by attorney Philip Palacio, while Crown Counsel Portia Staine represented the Government of Belize.
On August 20, 2014, at around 7:20 p.m., members of the Police’s Anti-Drug Unit (ADU) reportedly discovered over 54 kilograms, or 120 pounds, of suspected “crystal meth” in the back seat of a black vehicle that spun out of control and ran off the road during a high speed pursuit on Liberty Avenue in Orange Walk.
Police said that both passengers of the vehicle tried to flee on foot, but were later apprehended after the officers fired several shots in their direction.
When the vehicle was searched, authorities reportedly found a red ice cooler and a carton box which contained as many as 30 parcels of suspected crystal meth.
The drugs, which police have deemed as the largest crystal meth bust on record in Belize, are believed to be worth at least BZ$4 million, and according to US law enforcement authorities, have an estimated street value of as much as US$12 million in the United States.
