I have seen the term"Free Zone" in a couple of news articles. What are Free Zones? Free Zones are like Duty Free stores in airports. As long as you are exiting not coming back into the host country after you buy, you are exempt from paying local taxes. One of the newl articles indicated that Belize police are banned from going there- who does have jurisdiction? The article says "Zone" security and that would imply there is private security.
I recall there being problems with Belizean police carrying on illegal activities regarding merchandise purchased in the Free Zone being smuggled out into Belize and sold, with the smugglers pocketing the profit and probably splitting with the police who greased the skids for them. It appears that banning the police's entry is meant to curtail that activity. Big wigs in the Free Zone management have shares in the business so when the police raided the place they stepped on some big toes and were banned.
The Free Zone is Belize but has almost no laws. Stripping and prostitution is illegal in Belize yet it is allowed in the Free Zone. Article below is from the Belize 7 news. Police Officers Banned from Free Zone They are sworn to uphold the law all across the land, and that includes the Corozal Free Zone, but Belize police officers can no longer go into the free zone He says too many of them have gone in there and pursued corrupt activity.
So now, any officers wanting to enter the Zone can only do so under a directive from him. It seems clear cut and a little bit off base, but it may not be. Earlier this week, 7NEWS received reports that police officers had been banned from the zone after the raid on the strip club called Rodyzzio two weeks ago. The directive from Zone management as we understand it that police could only enter with the escort of Zone security.
Well, now, according to the order of the Commissioner they can't even do that. Zetina says he makes no apologies for the hardline, and the Free Zone ban extends even to him. He adds that he ordered the 'Roddyzio' raid.
