Six men, including four Asian Businessmen, were taken into custody on Tuesday morning after being caught by the Belize Coast Guard near Orange Point in the southern waters of Toledo District.
The vessel was reportedly spotted by BDF Soldiers near the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base where they had rendezvoused with a Guatemalan vessel that had reportedly crossed over into Belizean waters.
Noticing something suspicious, the BDF immediately alerted the Belize Coast Guards in Barranco and a team was dispatched to pursue the vessel.
The vessel attempted to evade the Coast Guard but were eventually caught near Orange Point in the Toledo District.
According to reports from the Belize Coast Guard, they found a large quantity of shrimp and a case of contraband Mexican beer on board.
All six men were originally escorted to a designated Quarantine Center in Punta Gorda Town and were supposed to have remained there awaiting various charges but according to rumors from various sources in the area, all six men were taken out of the Quarantine Center and released a few short hours after.
Officials claim that the men were handed over to Health and Customs Officials but there has not been any reports on whether it is true or not.
Two of the four Asian Businessmen were identified as Xueen Ma and Jianfu Huang, businessmen of Corozal District meanwhile the two Belizean men who were along with them were identified to be Ivan Pena and Leslie Williams (Boat Captain).
It is unclear why the names of the remaining two Asian men were not released.
