On Monday of this week, Police and Customs officers busted a father and son duo who were attempting to bring contraband products into the country from across the Mexican border. At around 5:00 a.m., the team was conducting patrols near our border with Mexico and Orange Walk. A white Ford cargo van drove up to their checkpoint at the junction of the roads that connect Shipyard and San Felipe. When the driver spotted the officers, he sped off instead of stopping and this resulted in a high speed chase. They eventually came to a stop near a curve and the driver was ordered out of the vehicle. Before coming out, he picked up a machete and was warned to drop the machete but because he refused and advanced toward the officers, an officer fired a shot which caught the driver in his buttocks. The driver, who was later identified as 40-year-old Freddy Pech of La Union, Mexico, was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital. During this time, the son got into a physical altercation with an officer, punching him in the face and causing severe swelling. As a result, he was charged with assault of an officer.
The van was then transported to Customs and a search of it led to the discovery of a cache of contraband items including canned beer, food and other assorted items. Police continue their investigations into this incident.
