The incident occurs after the supposedly illegal landing of two aircraft
MADRID, 22 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Hundreds of residents of the Petén department have blocked access to members of the Army after two aircraft landed in the area allegedly illegally.
The first aircraft, a helicopter, has landed eight kilometers from the border with Mexico, near the San Luis Frontera village, according to information from the newspaper ‘Prensa Libre’. Three kilometers from the area have been located three packages that have been transferred to the Northern Air Command.
The Prosecutor’s Office has indicated that it estimates that 142 packages arrived in the area contained cocaine, although the Army has warned that a large part of the shipment has been divided and transported by different groups of people to Mexico.
The second aircraft, which landed at 3:00 am five kilometers from the Rosa Jamaica village in Sayaxché, has caused the deployment of four Army units, which have run into the path blocked by many local residents.
Official sources have indicated that shots have been registered by several residents, so reinforcements are expected from the National Civil Police so that finally the passage and access to the aircraft is allowed.
In April 2019, both the Army and PNC agents and the Public Ministry reported complications to review an abandoned plane and implement tracking operations in Manchón Guamuchal, Retalhuleu, where they confronted residents and suspected drug traffickers who were blocking several routes in area.
Rubén Antonio Téllez, spokesman for the Army, has indicated that during 2020 39 aircraft were intercepted and 11,977 packages of cocaine were seized. So far in 2021, three have been intercepted (plus the two from the last day).
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