Two Arrested After Hundreds of Pounds of Illegal Seafood Seized

A joint early-morning enforcement operation ended with the pursuit, interception, and arrest of two men smuggling hundreds of pounds of suspected illegally imported seafood along the Hattieville-Boom Road yesterday.  Acting on intelligence, Fisheries Officers alongside the Belize Police Department pursued and pulled over a pickup truck. A search of the vehicle uncovered an extensive haul of illicit fisheries products, including 290 lbs. of tilapia fillets; 335 lbs. of jumbo shrimp; and 14 octopuses.  The vehicle and all seized products were immediately impounded by the Belize Fisheries Department. Two adult males were taken into custody and charged with offenses relating to the illegal importation of fisheries products. Both suspects are scheduled to appear in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Friday.  In a statement following the seizure, the Fisheries Department reiterated that importing fish and fisheries products without valid permits and regulatory clearance is strictly illegal. Officials warned that unauthorized imports introduce serious biosecurity, phytosanitary, and food safety risks to consumers while directly undercutting legitimate local fishers and traders who abide by the law.