ECNETNews, New York, NY, Mon. Sept. 2, 2024: In a significant enforcement action, the United States has seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his associates. The aircraft was apprehended in the Dominican Republic after being illegally exported from the U.S. and has since been transferred to the Southern District of Florida under the authority of U.S. law enforcement. This operation underscores violations of U.S. export control and sanctions regulations.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the seizure, declaring, “The Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies. Our dedication to enforcing sanctions and export controls remains steadfast to prevent such resources from threatening U.S. national security.”
Matthew S. Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, emphasized the importance of this operation, stating, “This seizure clearly demonstrates that aircraft unlawfully acquired from the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials will not go unchecked.”
Investigations revealed that between late 2022 and early 2023, Maduro’s associates engaged a Caribbean-based shell company to hide their involvement in the aircraft’s illegal purchase, valued at approximately $13 million. The Dassault Falcon 900EX was exported from the United States to Venezuela through the Caribbean in April 2023, primarily operating flights to and from a military base in Venezuela for international trips undertaken by Maduro.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe highlighted the collaborative effort between U.S. authorities and the Dominican Republic, stating, “Our office and law enforcement partners are committed to forfeiting this aircraft and any other assets acquired through unlawful means.”
The investigation is being led by the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office, along with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the El Dorado Task Force Miami. The case is under the purview of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado for the Southern District of Florida, with support from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The U.S. has expressed appreciation to the Dominican Republic for its cooperation in enforcing U.S. sanctions and export control laws. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government has denounced the seizure, labeling the action as “piracy.”
