On September 2, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the seizure of an aircraft used by Nicolas Maduro Moros and his affiliates in Venezuela, in violation of U.S. sanctions and export control laws. The Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft, which bears tail number T7-ESPRT, was seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to the Southern District of Florida at the request of the U.S. government.
The DOJ reported that the aircraft was purchased for $13 million from a company based in the South Florida in late 2022 or early 2023, years after the United States adopted Executive Order 13884. EO 13884, which was imposed in August 2019, prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions involving the Government of Venezuela, including members of the Maduro regime. The Department of Commerce also imposed export controls for items intended for military or military-intelligence end users in Venezuela. Maduro’s affiliates allegedly purchased the aircraft using a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement and then illegally exported the aircraft to Venezuela through the Caribbean in April 2023. According to the DOJ, the aircraft has been used exclusively for the benefit of Maduro and his representatives since May 2023.