Law enforcement authorities in Belize have filed joint criminal charges against two local men following a court-authorized search of their Hattieville Village residence that uncovered a sizable cache of illicit drugs and unregistered firearms, district police confirmed this week.
The accused, identified as 21-year-old Tajah Robateau and 25-year-old Kevan Joshua Franklyn, both residents of the village, were taken into formal custody after the search operation carried out on April 1 this year. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, the department’s official spokesperson, outlined the details of the raid in a public briefing.
“These charges come after our team executed a legally obtained search warrant at the property, which led to the recovery of seven separately wrapped parcels of suspected cannabis, with a combined total weight of 739 grams — equal to approximately 1.6 pounds,” Smith explained.
Beyond the cannabis seizure, investigators also found an unregistered Glock 9-millimeter handgun already loaded with a 13-round ammunition magazine. Two additional extended-capacity magazines were also seized during the search, holding 13 and 17 live 9-millimeter rounds respectively.
Smith noted that the packaging method used for the suspected cannabis points to a likelihood the drugs were being prepared for street-level distribution rather than personal use, making the seizure a significant win for local anti-narcotics efforts. As of April 7, both men remain in custody awaiting their first court appearance to answer the combined drug and weapons charges.