The US Justice Department announced on Monday that the white Dassault Falcon 900EX, which was driven to Florida by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores during official visits, had been taken into custody in the Dominican Republic.
The aircraft, which is registered in San Marino, was heavily utilized by Mr. Maduro and his top aides on international travel, including earlier this year’s flights to Cuba and Guyana.
Seized, it touched down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, just before noon, according to flight tracking websites.
According to Washington, the $13 million (£10 million) aircraft was purchased from Florida vendors in late 2022 and early 2023.
According to officials, a Caribbean-based shell firm was employed to complete the sale, concealing the involvement of the Venezuelan leader’s cronies.
Officials claim that in April of last year, it was then exported to Caracas via the Caribbean, a maneuver made to circumvent an executive order prohibiting Americans from transacting business with any member of Mr. Maduro’s administration.
In a statement, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said that “Maduro and his cronies” had smuggled it out of the country.
