The Belize Police Department has made several changes to its senior management and sweeping changes to its COST Team, headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Marco Vidal after several members of Vidal’s team were arrested in connection with a drug plane landing in southern Belize last week.
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams briefed the media yesterday, explaining that Vidal has been transferred from being Commander of Operations in light of the ongoing investigation into the plane landing. Vidal has been moved to being the Commander of Management Services, leaving in his place Assistant Commissioner of Police Alford Grinage.
The team that worked with Mr. Vidal at operations office, those who were not arrested as a part of this plane landing, they have all been transferred to the regular police body.
Again, while we still continue to do our investigations because we do certain things it might uncover the involvement of other persons, so long as there is evidence, later on, to suggest that any other person be it police officers or not, and regardless of rank or whatever is involved, we will follow the evidence and do what needs to be done.
– Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams
He stressed that there is currently no evidence to suggest Vidal’s involvement in the plane landing, but that the transfer was to ensure that the investigation is conducted as fairly as possible, without any interference.
