By Aaron Humes: Sandra Araceli Pineda, a 38-year-old resident of Ranchito village, Corozal District, was arrested and charged with drug-related offenses after police executed a search warrant at her home on Friday morning. Police reported discovering 5.8 grams of crack cocaine and 17.8 grams of cannabis during the operation.
According to ASP Stacy Smith, Pineda attempted to evade officers during the search. “The arresting officer reported that upon entering the premises while simultaneously advising the occupants that it was the police and that they were there to execute a search warrant, she observed, Pineda picked up a transparent plastic bag and ran through the house. Pineda was pursued and she was observed throwing the plastic bag, and when it was opened and inspected, it was found to contain several pieces of suspected crack cocaine,” stated ASP Smith. Following the arrest, it was confirmed that no one else in the home would face charges, as Pineda took full responsibility for the drugs found on the premises.
In a separate incident, 26-year-old Daniel Eck from Chan Chen Village was also arrested and charged with two counts of burglary and possession of controlled drugs, specifically 0.13 grams of crack cocaine. Eck’s alleged criminal activities included breaking into two homes between January 31 and February 1: “Eck is reported to have entered these separate residences through the window of the house, and on one occasion he stole a container which contained $750, and in the other instance he was observed in that home without a shirt. When observed, he ran off and made good his escape. Based on the investigation carried out by the police officers. Mr. Eck was identified as a person of interest, and when he was shot at his residence and searched in his pocket, police found the 0.13g of suspected crack cocaine,” ASP Smith explained.
The recent drug-related arrests are part of a trend, as over the past few weeks, police have noted an increase in crack cocaine-related crimes, prompting questions about whether this rise indicates greater drug use or simply a higher rate of arrests.
When asked about the uptick, ASP Smith remarked, “What I find to be new is that younger and younger persons are being charged for using drugs. And this is one of the reasons why us as a department places a lot of emphasis on interdicting drug peddlers because, by all indications, Mr. Eck is believed to have been undertaking these nefarious activities to support this habit.”
ASP Smith further emphasized that the sale of drugs poses a serious threat to community safety, stating, “The sale of drugs is something that truly, you know, weakens society. It harasses everybody. Nobody rests well when a drug addict is on the prowl in their neighborhood, your gas tank gets stolen, your line stick gets stolen. So, we certainly place a lot of emphasis on interdicting drug peddlers. I know a lot of people will comment, oh, get the big fish and this and that and that. But it is also important to arrest these persons who are peddling drugs in neighborhoods and destroying lives.”
The post Corozal residents charged with drug possession, burglary as cocaine-related crimes spike appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Aaron Humes: Sandra Araceli Pineda, a 38-year-old resident of Ranchito village, Corozal District, was arrested and charged with drug-related offenses after police executed a search warrant at her home on Friday morning. Police reported discovering 5.8 grams of crack cocaine and 17.8 grams of cannabis during the operation. According to ASP Stacy Smith, Pineda
The post Corozal residents charged with drug possession, burglary as cocaine-related crimes spike appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
