Belizean authorities are claiming a big hand in a large drug bust that occurred Wednesday evening. Belize's Anti-Drug Unit along with the BDF's Coast Guard were pursuing a skiff off the shores of San Pedro when it entered international waters. Belizean authorities then contacted their Mexican counterparts who picked up the chase.

The Mexicans called out high-speed skiffs from their Navy which instructed the vessel to stop. It didn't and that's when the Mexicans called out two helicopters and a rapid response team. One of the helicopters, a Bolkow Super 5 shot out the engines, and also hit one of the passengers. Another helicopter an m1-17 followed up with a rapid response team, which went into the water and secured the crippled vessel, its crew and contents 36 miles east of San Pedro.

In what is described as an exchange of gunfire, one of the boat's occupants identified as Honduran national Jesus Castillo Orellano was shot. He along with his companions San Pedranos: 25-year-old William Martinez, 25-year-old Kevin Lincoln Smith, 45-year-old Miguel Perez and 48-year-old Francisco Nunez were detained by Mexican authorities and taken to Cozumel. Mexican authorities found 1,350 kilos or 2976 pounds of suspected cocaine inside the boat. They also found a rifle, two pistols, a satellite phone, two cell phones, and radios as well as a GPS system.

Police sources note that it is one of the first major drug seizures on the open seas to have an almost all Belizean crew. The men all live on San Pedro and are believed to have transferred the drugs from a Colombian vessel in the open seas and were then bringing it back to San Pedro for further conveyance to Mexico, when they ran into Belize's drug squad, who chased them back into international waters. They remain in Mexican custody in Cozumel, and as we understand it, will remain there for criminal proceedings.