Jim Leach began his law enforcement career in 1975, and he shares his insights as a Criminal Justice Consultant for Golden Media Group. Mr. Leach is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 133rd Session, in Quantico Virginia.
The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arrested by U.S. forces in their home early last Saturday morning.
They were indicted, along with several others, on conspiracy charges. The charges involved the distribution of cocaine, machine guns, and explosive devices, and participating in terrorist actions, and the indictments were handed down in federal court in the Southern District of New York.
It looks like the DEA, FBI, CIA, as well as the U.S. military, did an outstanding job of putting the case together, capturing Maduro and his cronies, and bringing them to stand trial in the United States.
Similar indictments were issued in 2020. The major difference is that Cilia Maduro was not included in the initial charges. Perhaps she was arrested in hopes that she might “flip” and testify against her husband.
The problem with the impact his capture will have on the distribution of cocaine in our country is dependent on many factors.
A successful conspiracy investigation proves that you talked to some other folks and decided to commit a crime. Someone in the group commits an act “in furtherance of” the crime. Let’s say you and I and two other buddies make an agreement to rob a bank.
One of the members of our group buys a gun to use in the robbery. At that point, we are all guilty of conspiracy to commit bank robbery. Conspiracy laws are very tough.
Apparently, Maduro helped provide false documents and things of that nature, but mostly, he provided protection for the Cartels.
Sadly, Maduro may be replaced quickly in the drug business.
We have seen Pablo Escobar, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, and Manuel Noriega go to prison.
Some experts estimated Escobar controlled 80% of the world’s cocaine market, and El Chapo is said to have rivaled him in wealth. Noriega, of course, was the military dictator of Panama. If anybody missed a snort of coke when those guys left the game, I never heard about it. Someone was already in line to take their place when they were arrested.
Perhaps things are different this time. There appears to be more of a focus (manpower and money) being placed on the battle against illegal drug activities than before.
Our police and military are doing a great job, and they have been for a long time. I promise you, they will continue to fight.
The money being made in the drug business is staggering. The statistics for large cocaine seizures are measured in tons of weight and millions of dollars. The front line in the war on drugs is not in the courtroom or the jail, although the deterrent effect of the possibility of imprisonment is tremendously important. The real front line in the war on drugs is in your living room, talking to your child, in your car, talking to your best friend, or in your bedroom, talking to your spouse.
Demand reduction equals profit reduction.
As long as the money is as good as it is now, the bad folks will figure a way to deliver the dope to the world’s largest drug market, the United States. They will take whatever chances are necessary to get that payoff.
1 thought on “FBI agent discusses arrest of Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela”
Here’s a wild idea….CLOSE THE BORDER. ENFORCE IT.
We have no authority to kidnap presidents, sink boats in the open ocean, hijack tankers and steal the oil.