A contentious legal battle is unfolding in Belize following a highway confrontation between attorney Tiffany Cadle and customs officials, drawing support from prominent legal experts including former Justice Lisa Shoman. The incident occurred along the Philip Goldson Highway when Cadle, traveling with her elderly mother, drove past a checkpoint near Sandhill that she deemed operated beyond legal authority.
Cadle documented the encounter through Facebook Live, alleging customs officers initiated an unauthorized pursuit after she questioned their jurisdictional authority at what appeared to be a customs-only checkpoint. The pursuit culminated with officers allegedly cutting off her vehicle and conducting a search that yielded only traditional holiday items—a black cake and bottles of rum popo.
The Customs and Excise Department defended its actions as part of a multi-agency operation involving police, defense forces, and immigration authorities targeting smuggling and transnational crime. Officials asserted their legal authority extends beyond traditional ports of entry.
The confrontation has evolved into a significant constitutional challenge, with former Justice Lisa Shoman publicly endorsing Cadle’s position. Shoman referenced the landmark 2020 case Greg Nunez and Bryton Codd v. Attorney General of Belize, which established that law enforcement must demonstrate reasonable suspicion before conducting stops and searches. The court in that case deemed arbitrary stops unconstitutional violations of personal liberty and freedom of movement.
Shoman emphasized that random checkpoints without individualized suspicion fail to meet legal standards, placing the burden of justification on law enforcement rather than citizens. The emerging legal challenge threatens to redefine the boundaries of search authority and constitutional protections in Belize, potentially affecting how multiple agencies conduct joint operations nationwide.