US Seizes Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro’s Plane in Dominican Republic, DOJ Says

The plane was seized using a Trump-era executive order and transferred to the custody of federal officials in Florida, according to the Justice Department.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro speaks during a news conference after casting his vote during the presidential elections at Escuela Ecológica Bolivariana Simón Rodríguez in Fuerte Tiuna, Caracas, Venezuela, on July 28, 2024. Jesus Vargas/Getty Images

The United States seized the plane used by Venezuelan socialist leader Nicolás Maduro after determining that its purchase violated U.S. sanctions, the Department of Justice (DOJ) stated on Sept. 2.

A Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft was seized in the Dominican Republic and taken to federal authorities in Florida, according to a statement issued by the DOJ. The aircraft’s purchase circumvented U.S. sanctions because it was bought through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States, according to the statement.