US authorities seize Venezuelan President's private jet, say it was illegally purchased

The US authorities have seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's $ 13 million private jet claiming that it was illegally purchased and violated American sanctions.

The plane was seized on Sep 2 in the Dominican Republic and was flown to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said the Department of Justice. Maduro was not on the plane at the time.

It is alleged that the Dassault Falcon 900EX was purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Attorney Garland emphasized the seriousness of the situation and said that the Department will continue to pursue those who violate the country's sanctions.

The plane, which is referred to as Venezuela's Air Force One, has been used to transport the country's president and his officials domestically and internationally.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government stated that the seizure was "piracy" and an act of "aggression" by the US over the country's disputed presidential election, a CNN report said.

Maduro was re-elected as the country's president for the third term on July 29, despite being deeply unpopular.

The United States had expressed concerns over the results, saying it does not reflect the people's votes.

Recently, the Venezuelan authorities issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González Urrutia, the opposition presidential candidate that the US and other countries recognized as the rightful winner of the country's July elections.

A White House National Security Council spokesperson in a statement said that “the step was taken to ensure that Maduro continues to feel the consequences from his misgovernance in Venezuela.”