PUNTA GORDA–Two Guatemalans will be spending the season of merriment, as well as the next five years, in a cell at the Belize Central Prison.

Inspector Ernel Dominguez, Deputy Commander of Punta Gorda police, said that the two Guatemalans, Orasmo Vasquez Ramirez, 34, and Emilio Chub, 35, both farmers from Clarisal Village, Guatemala, were busted with shotguns and ammunition by Punta Gorda police and elements of the Belize Defence Force, who were conducting joint operations in Punta Gorda on Thursday.

Ramirez was charged for “kept firearm without a gun license and kept (4) 16-gauge and one 12-gauge cartridges without a gun license.”

Chub was also charged with “kept prohibited firearm,” for a sawed-off 20-gauge shotgun and five 20-gauge cartridges that were found in his possession.

They were taken to the Punta Gorda Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where they were arraigned for the offences by Magistrate Dale Cayetano.

Dominguez said that Chub plead guilty to the charge of “kept prohibited firearm and kept ammunition,” and was sentenced to five years in prison for the gun and five years for the ammunition, with both sentences to run concurrently.

Ramirez also pleaded guilty to the charge of “kept firearm without a gun license,” and he was sentenced to five years in prison for the gun and five years for the ammunition. His sentences are also to run concurrently.

The men were found with the shotguns and ammunition at about 9:00 Thursday night in the Michiquel Ha area of Punta Gorda when police stopped them and conducted a random search.

The men have since been taken to the Belize Central Prison to begin their jail sentences.