The vehicles reportedly did not clear Customs at the official ports of entry – Santa Elena Town, Corozal; Benque Viejo, Big Creek, Punta Gorda, Blue Creek and Belize City.

On Tuesday afternoon, after we first learned about the vehicles being seized by the Customs Department, Amandala visited the Belize City branch of Customs, and was told that we had to get permission from Customs officials to see the vehicles. We were told, however, that ?they were still investigating and [more information about the vehicles] would cause embarrassment to the parties.?

The vehicles? owners, who include some prominent businessmen and lawyers, were asked to produce proof of purchase, and the officials were referred to a certain dealer, from whom the owners claimed they had bought the vehicles, already licensed. The dealer claimed the vehicles to be legitimate.

Our source told us that a Lebanese businessman is responsible for bringing the allegedly stolen vehicles into the country. A list forwarded to the newspaper details the kinds of vehicles impounded. Included in the list are nine L200 Mitsubishi pickup trucks, four Monteros, one Nativa, four Mazda-626s and one 2003 Toyota Hilux pick-up. This list had 21 vehicles, but we were informed of others that did not appear on the list, including a gold Land Cruiser that had been confiscated from a local attorney.

According to local auto dealers, whenever they import a late vehicle model, Customs takes a week to follow the stolen vehicle check.

The L200 could cost up to $30,000 – $40,000; and the Hilux is estimated to cost between $40,000-$50,000, which does not include tax.

Efforts to get a comment from the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs were futile.