BELIZE CITY, Mon. Aug. 26, 2019– Today, Bowen & Bowen confirmed, via a statement from its corporate headquarters in Belize City, that it has terminated the services of an unspecified number of employees for using two of the company’s vehicles to facilitate the transportation of contraband beverages into the country.

John Palacio, the Public Relations Manager at Bowen & Bowen, told Amandala this afternoon that on Thursday, August 19, Belize Customs officers discovered two Bowen & Bowen vehicles that were being used for illicit activities.

The vehicles were found outside their permitted area. The employees were supposed to return to Belize City after they had dismantled the tents used at the San Joaquin fiesta, but were found instead in the San Victor area with contraband soft drinks and beers.

In addition, these Bowen and Bowen employees had allegedly been consuming alcoholic beverages on the job, which is against company policy, as detailed in the Employees Handbook.

Reading from a prepared statement, Palacio said, “We are saddened by these events and are especially astonished that employees of B&B Beverages would bite the hand that feeds them by purchasing contraband products.

“Contraband products hurt everyone, taxpayers, Government of Belize and all Belizeans, by not paying duties and taxes. Contraband products represent loss of income for the Government of Belize, and lost employment for Belizeans.

“B&B will continue supporting Customs’ dutiful fight against contraband products and we thank them for their diligence.”

We asked Palacio how many employees were terminated.

“I am not at liberty to disclose that information,” Palacio told us. “What I just read is what was provided to me. I myself don’t even know how many employees were involved.”