by Kristen Ku

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 21, 2024

Police are actively investigating an incident at the Philip Goldson International Airport early this morning, March 21, where a visitor alleged that six immigration officers took US$3,000 from him.

The investigation was launched following a complaint from a Jamaican national, who claimed that the officers took the money from him.

Responding to the incident, police detained five of the accused officers, and are trying to locate the sixth.

The Amandala newspaper reached out to Tanya Santos-Neal, the Chief Executive Officer of Immigration, who confirmed the incident.

She also told us of the Ministry’s full cooperation with the ongoing police investigation, stating, “The ministry is fully cooperating with the police. We are internally dealing with the matter, while police conduct their investigation.”

The names of the officers involved have not been released to the public, as the investigation continues.

Today, the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. John Briceño, who is the substantive Minister for Immigration, told reporters that such behavior from members of his department is unacceptable, that anyone who is involved in that kind of crime has to go.

“I believe that this kind of behavior is unacceptable of any member of this government, and especially in this case, the Immigration Department, a ministry that I am responsible for. We need to get rid of that kind of behavior, and we will not get involved. I don’t care who these people are, they need to answer; and if they are guilty, then they have to face the music,” he stated.