In coordinated anti-illegal weapons operations across two Belizean communities last weekend, law enforcement agencies have seized three unregistered firearms and 23 rounds of ammunition, leading to criminal charges against six people – five in Belize City and one in Dangriga. As part of ongoing urban crackdowns on unlicensed weaponry, the busts mark the latest progress in local police’s targeted efforts to curb gun-related violence across the country.
The first operation, carried out Saturday June 6, 2026 at a residential property on Yampa Street in Dangriga, was a joint effort of three specialized police units: the Special Patrol Unit, Dangriga Quick Response Team (QRT), and the Gang Intelligence Investigation and Interdiction Unit. Acting on intelligence related to illegal weapons activity, teams searched the home of 21-year-old Jaylen Nunez (alternatively spelled Nunes in official police documentation) and uncovered two unregistered handguns loaded with live ammunition. The first recovered weapon was a black 9-millimeter pistol, which was loaded with 14 live 9mm rounds. The second was a .38 caliber revolver holding two live rounds of matching ammunition. Nunez was taken into custody immediately following the search, and now faces two counts each of unlicensed firearm possession and unlicensed ammunition possession.
Just two days later, a second operation by the Special Patrol Unit at a Crow Road residence in Belize City yielded another illegal 9mm pistol loaded with seven live 9mm rounds. In an unusual development, five individuals were jointly charged in connection with the single weapon: 36-year-old Natasha Hughes, 30-year-old Devon Pratt, 27-year-old Eldon Pratt, 27-year-old Andrew Biser, and a 17-year-old male minor who cannot be named publicly under Belizean juvenile justice law. All five face one count each of unlicensed firearm possession and unlicensed ammunition possession.
In an official statement released to local media, Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, Staff Officer for the department, confirmed the details of both operations and charges. Smith emphasized that the busts are part of sustained, proactive campaigns by specialized police units to root out illegal gun stockpiles in Belize’s populated urban centers, where unregulated firearms have been linked to rising violent crime in recent years. Investigations into both cases remain ongoing, with law enforcement indicating they are still working to trace the origin of the seized weapons and determine if the individuals charged are connected to broader gun trafficking networks or gang activity in the region.