In a developing law enforcement case out of southern Belize, a serving port immigration officer has been formally charged with extortion following allegations that he extracted a $6,000 bribe from a local shipping agent. The incident unfolded at Big Creek Port, located in the Stann Creek District, with the formal arrest and charges announced in early October 2026.
According to senior law enforcement officials, the investigation traces back to a complaint filed on September 8 by Daniela Cardenas, a shipping agent based in the nearby town of Independence. Cardenas told investigators that she was directly contacted by the immigration officer, who demanded the $6,000 payment in exchange for processing entry for six crew members who were being held aboard a cargo vessel docked at the port.
After complying with the demand and transferring the full $6,000 sum to the officer, Cardenas grew suspicious when she was not provided with any official receipt or documentation to confirm the payment. To confirm whether the funds had actually been received by the relevant authorities, she reached out to a separate contact within the port system to verify the transaction, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero.
“She made arrangements and paid an immigration officer six thousand dollars. She then contacted another person to verify if they had received this payment as no receipt had been given to her,” Romero stated in an official press briefing on the case.
Once Cardenas came forward with her formal complaint, law enforcement launched an immediate undercover investigation, during which investigators obtained surveillance video footage and compiled multiple pieces of corroborating evidence linking the officer to the extortion scheme. That evidence allowed officers to take the suspect, identified as Ruben Requena, into custody and file formal extortion charges against him.
The case took a more serious turn with additional allegations that Requena threatened Cardenas after she came forward, warning her that retaliation would follow if she moved forward with a formal statement to police. “Requena allegedly threatened Cardenas, telling her that if she made a statement, ‘the matter would not be left like that,’” Romero confirmed.
Law enforcement officials confirmed Wednesday that investigators are currently following up on this separate intimidation allegation, which could lead to additional criminal charges being filed against Requena as the probe continues. Police have not yet announced whether Requena has retained legal representation, or entered a plea to the existing extortion charge, and the investigation remains active as law enforcement works to uncover any potential links to other corrupt activities at the port.