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What happens when a group of Hondurans find and steal a Colombian (most likely Colombian) drug shipment on the beautiful island paradise of Roatan?
I won’t spoil the surprise but it rhymes with – using RPGs and hand grenades to blow up and/or burn down 7 houses that may or may not have had people in them.
I suspect there will be some mutilated, or other assorted and sundry examples of tortured, bodies found in the smoldering remains of houses, or nearby in the next day or two.
Still a developing story and nothing is definitive yet, just stories off the coconut telegraph.
Something like that Rob.
Translation software version of an article from today’s paper, it’s choppy but you get the idea
They burn houses and cars in search of cocaine or money The fact registered in Diamont village Rock 16.03.10 – Updated: 16.03.10 10:23 p.m. –
Roatán, Honduras Subjects strongly armed pertaining to the organized crime destroyed yesterday in the village of Dimon Rock, in this island, two houses and burned three warehouses. According to the first hypotheses, the men looked for drugs or money that would have been robbed them. The fact took place between the five and seven at night of Monday, when several subjects arrived at the place, demolished the doors of the houses and revolvieron completely the interior of the warehouses, starting fabrics, abriendo and breaking ceilings and any object that could serve as hiding place of presumed drugs or packages of money.The Police did not want to speculate on envelope what looked for the subjects until not having the certainty in the investigation. One does not know if they found what they looked for, but that the balance was of three warehouses of adobe with zinc ceiling completely burned and two destroyed houses, as well as two incinerated cars and one motorcycle. During the action, the men strongly armed shot constantly to intimidate the settlers of the zone, who were terrified. In the houses openings in false skies in search of properties became, according to witnesses, just like inside loudspeakers of sound equipment, underneath the beds and in each corner where something could hide-and-seek. In the end, they set fire to them.
Inspection Yesterday in hours in the morning, a contingent of police, naval and member elements from the National Direction of Criminal Investigation and Office of the public prosecutor, arrived to verify the fact. Due to the distance, of approximately 25 kilometers from the police headquarters, the inspection for hours of yesterday was programmed. Within the found evidences it was possible to be seen sockets of large-caliber weapons, the burned motorcycles and cars, as well as the houses. The authorities did not give details of a who looked for nor who could be the causes of the fire. “This problem initiated in Santa Elena and finished in Diamont Rock, cannot be needed what looked for those people, so we cannot speculate”, said the police head of Islands of the Bay, Videz Saints.
In the burned warehouses esteem that was something stored that was robbed by another group that operates in the site. One hoped that the firemen made removals to see if between the rubbish of the houses some body without life were located, but was not possible to do it since to enter the site he must himself happen through close ways and with trees of leafy and low glasses, those that beat in glasses of the units. “We could not arrive until the place, if we continued walking were very long, aside from being a site of extreme risk”, a fireman said who preferred the anonymity.
Here’s the original Spanish version
Queman casas y autos en busca de coca o dinero
El hecho se registró en aldea Diamont Rock
16.03.10 – Actualizado: 16.03.10 10:23pm – Redacción: redaccion@laprensa.hnRoatán,
Honduras
Sujetos fuertemente armados pertenecientes al crimen organizado destruyeron ayer en la aldea de Dimon Rock, en esta isla, dos viviendas y quemaron tres bodegas.
Según las primeras hipótesis, los hombres buscaban drogas o dinero que les habría sido robado.
El hecho tuvo lugar entre las cinco y siete de la noche del lunes, cuando varios sujetos llegaron al lugar, derribaron las puertas de las casas y revolvieron completamente el interior de las bodegas, arrancando telas, abriendo y rompiendo techos y cualquier objeto que pudiera servir de escondite de presuntas drogas o paquetes de dinero.
La Policía no quiso especular sobre qué buscaban los sujetos hasta no tener la certeza en la investigación.
No se sabe si encontraron lo que buscaban, pero sí que el saldo fue de tres bodegas de adobe con techo de zinc completamente quemadas y dos viviendas destruidas, así como dos autos y una moto incinerados. Durante la acción, los hombres fuertemente armados disparaban constantemente para amedrentar a los pobladores de la zona, quienes estaban aterrorizados. En las viviendas se hicieron, según testigos, aberturas en los cielos falsos en busca de pertenencias, lo mismo que en el interior de parlantes de equipos de sonido, debajo de las camas y en cada rincón donde pudiera esconderse algo. Al final, les prendieron fuego.
Inspección
Ayer en horas de la mañana, un contingente de elementos policiales, navales y miembros de la Dirección Nacional de Investigación Criminal y Fiscalía, llegaron para verificar el hecho.
Debido a la distancia, de aproximadamente 25 kilómetros desde la jefatura policial, se programó la inspección para horas del día de ayer.
Dentro de las evidencias encontradas se pudo ver casquillos de armas de grueso calibre, las motos y autos quemados, así como las viviendas.Las autoridades no dieron detalles de a quiénes buscaban ni quiénes podrían ser los causantes del incendio.
“Este problema inició en Santa Elena y terminó en Diamont Rock, no se pueden precisar qué buscaban esas personas, así que no podemos especular”, dijo el jefe policial de Islas de la Bahía, Santos Videz.
En las bodegas quemadas se estima que había algo almacenado que fue robado por otro grupo que opera en el sitio.
Se esperaba que los bomberos hicieran remociones para ver si entre los escombros de las casas se localizaba algún cuerpo sin vida, pero no fue posible hacerlo ya que para entrar al sitio se tiene que pasar por caminos estrechos y con árboles de copas frondosas y bajas, las que pegaban en los vidrios de las unidades.
“No pudimos llegar hasta el lugar, si proseguíamos caminando era muy largo, aparte de ser un sitio de sumo riesgo”, dijo un bombero que prefirió el anonimato.
Latest coconut telegraph report on the situation on Roatan. This is NOT official, nor is it 100% confirmed, just what I am getting from my friends on the island. Take it for what it’s worth.
The cops (Cobra cops from the mainland) have the community surrounded where . The drug runners are still there. Many locals are trying to hide, some are dead. The drug runners say they will kill everyone if the boat isn’t returned today.
I’ll give you more as I get it.
It’s getting hard to distinguish between updates with substance and island rumormill. The actual story will most likely be different than the rumors have it now.
Here’s raw and NOT independently confirmed data up to this point put together as good as I can do it with the many versions that exist:
Colombians had 6 or 7 fast boats going through Roatan waters to make a drug shipment to Mexico. One of the boats hit the reef and they stashed that boat’s load of coke and cash onshore and they took the rest of the load to Mexico. Islanders found the stash and stole it (welcome to Honduras, if it ain’t nailed down, it grows legs). Cops found out what was going on and set up a sting for when they (drug runners) came back for their stash. Drug lords on the island got wind of it, tipped off the big dogs, and the sting went bust. Mexicans and Colombians returned for their stuff and proceeded to burn and blow up stuff. Cops came in to take control and Colombians and Mexicans said back off or everyone in the village (Diamond Rock, it’s on the east end of the island) dies. Cops backed off. Unknown just how many casualties but the average from the reports I’m getting is 10. One story today is that two human heads were rolled onto the beach (they belonged to islanders) to make a point. Press is in a blackout until the situation is resolved (I’m wondering how long before a western press agency gets live crews down there and really get things all mixed up, or if they even care). Colombians and Mexicans are still on the island and they are still very pissed off and holding Diamond Rock hostage. Most folks on the island that work in the tourism industry are not wanting this story to get out, but this kind of story gets out anyway (facebook status updates are not secure forms of communication ;).
This story is possibly completely fabricated and the actual story has yet to be uncovered. We shall see.
Here’s a commentary from a fellow that owns one of the resorts down at the end of the island where the excitement was/is centered. Once again my favorite quote “always felt safe here” works its way into the discussion. The resort folks and real estate agents have done their best to make sure everyone knows that “this sort of thing doesn’t usually happen here.” That’s primarily because people don’t usually steal from the Colombian and Mexican drug cartels. The reality is that the cartels ship stuff through the area every night, they usually only stop for fuel if they stop at all. Just because they aren’t doing deals in front of the resort office doesn’t mean they are not covered in the envelope of risk. I’ve been told (haven’t seen for myself) that there are several areas where 55 gallons barrels of fuel sit and wait for night time refueling. The drug gangs indeed are there, they just have bigger fish to fry by moving their product north. Whenever someone tells you they live in, or you could buy a piece of, “paradise,” just smile politely and finish your drink. It’s not worth trying to explain the intricacies of reality to them. They may know the truth deep down, but they tell themselves whatever story they need to hear enough times that they actually begin to believe it. When the ugly truth rears its head, then the knee jerk reaction is to explain it away as an anomaly.
Just for the record, I love going to Roatan and will be there in a couple of weeks (in case any of you want me to buy you a drink for a Sundowner’s meetup), but I never travel to Honduras without the understanding that each trip could be my last. I know what’s there, I know what I’m getting into, I do what I can to keep myself, and my teams, out of trouble, but you can’t always plan for everything. Sometimes it just plain catches up with you.
We have been coming to the east end since 2001 and have always felt safe here, even with these recent events. Mostly the problem was brought to the far west end of Diamond Rock and has ended up in Punta Gorda. I say brought because these are not normal happenings for this end of the island. The people stole from a cartel in route that were not even on Roatan, they were at another island. The ones that stole the boat brought it to Diamond Rock and ended up in Punta Gorda.
So lets get that clear that it is not DRUG GANG activity it was a search for what was taken. I am sure that in the past you have all heard of a robbery or two that happened in this are mentioned, These are the very same ones that are involved in this. Not to condone the activity but they brought these trouble to their families with their own selfish acts of greed. Just so everyone knows they stole almost $80,000,000. from a Columdian cartel,who have been almost unseen since this started. Never once have they even been seen in any other areas then the ones mentioned and never once have I felt any threat or unsafe for me or my family which is here with me. For those who are thinking is it safe you need to know that the east end of Roatan,especially Camp Bay is, probably the safest place on ALL of Roatan. These are loving family communities that give you a glimps of Roatans at it finest. So please before you make post of how it is here please get some facts first you only hurt the whole of the island when you post hear say. If you don’t want to take my word for it come and see for yourself as some others have.living here in Camp Bay for a few years has isolated me from the West End. people are scared to come to our isolated paradise. this drug war has even made it more remote. well, i can tell you it is safe here,the murder rate is 0, unlike the west end of Roatan which has the largest murder rate. the only effect that we have had to to this drug war is a drop in business because the west enders are telling people not to come here because its unsafe. i’ve been hearing this since i first arrived to this paradise. chanel 9 news on the island was here for semana santa and reported families on this prestine beach with no problems, on the islands largest white sand beach. so far only the people that were involved in the drug heist were at risk.their family members as well of course. people are still missing all the way to West End/ Sandy Bay, pretty much anybody who touched that white powder. even on the mainland bodies showed up. the dirt road is the best its ever been and the community of Camp Bay has been unaffected. the palapa restaurant over the water is open and you can kick back and chill on a hammock while drinking a cold one. the hotels and hostel are reporting no problems on our end. so if you are ready for adventure, come and snorkle the best reef, explore the mangroves or just lay on the beach and relax. Camp Bay has something for everybody.
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