Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Guatemalan Gold Panner Arrested in the Chiquibul National Park

Share

On the evening of Friday, 31st May 2019, Conservation Rangers and Special Constables operating in the Ceibo Chico area of the Chiquibul National Park, 7.5 kilometers inside Belize, intercepted three Guatemalan gold panners two of whom escaped into the jungle. The third was caught in time but a struggle ensued between him and a Special Constable where he had to be subdued by hand before being arrested for illegal entry into the Chiquibul National Park.
The detainee, 22-year-old Guatemalan national Salomon Martinez Pascual, is a repeat offender. He was found with 5 grams of what appeared to be gold contained in a small vial. Pascual was promptly handed over to the San Ignacio Police after being fed and escorted from the Chiquibul.
On Monday, 3rd June 2019, Pascual was charged with illegal entry into a National Park and with immigration offences. He pled guilty in front of the Magistrate where he was fined $3,000 or 12 months imprisonment for illegal entry into the National Park, and $1,000 or 6 months imprisonment for immigration offences. The vial with gold will be handed over to the Mining Unit for any further charges to be laid.
In future patrols, ranger teams will wear a chest-mounted camera to record footage of incidents to aid in prosecution.

Read more

 

Please help support Local Journalism in Belize

For the first time in the history of the island's community newspaper, The San Pedro Sun is appealing to their thousands of readers to help support the paper during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1991 we have tirelessly provided vital local and national news. Now, more than ever, our community depends on us for trustworthy reporting, but our hard work comes with a cost. We need your support to keep delivering the news you rely on each and every day. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable. Please support us by making a contribution.

Local News