FBI Director Kash Patel Details Daring Venezuela Operation to Capture Nicolás Maduro

FBI's Role in Venezuelan Operation

• 🎯 The FBI's Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG), including its tactical aviation and specialized operations units, was instrumental in the operation to capture Nicolás Maduro.
• 🚀 The mission, orchestrated by President Trump, involved the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) embedding with the insertion force for extraction and capture.
• 🤝 The FBI managed the Foreign Transfer of Custody (FTOC), maintaining law enforcement custody from seizure through maritime and aviation transportation.

Charges Against Maduro and Drug Trafficking

• ⚖️ The charges against Maduro include narco-terrorism and weapons charges, stemming from Venezuela's role as a major transshipment point for illicit narcotics.
• 💊 The operation aimed to combat the flow of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamines into the United States, which has caused significant harm and deaths.
• 📈 Under President Trump's leadership, there was a drastic reduction in both deaths and the quantity of narcotics available on U.S. streets.

Addressing Other Key Actors and Cartels

• 🔍 The U.S. government, under leaders like Secretary of State Rubio and President Trump, will engage in diplomatic negotiations to address other bad actors in Venezuela.
• 💥 The Trende Araagua cartel, designated as a terrorist organization, is a focus for law enforcement efforts to dismantle their operations and violence.
• 💡 The FBI is committed to continuing the manhunt for anyone responsible for or part of this narcotics and violence mission, emphasizing that the work is not done.

Countering Fentanyl Flow

• 🇨🇳 The U.S. engaged with Chinese officials to stop the flow of chemical precursors used to make fentanyl.
• 🚫 An agreement was reached to shut off the flow of all 13 precursors and 8 chemical adjusters, suffocating drug trafficking organizations' ability to manufacture fentanyl.
• 📊 In the past year under President Trump, the U.S. seized enough fentanyl to kill 175 million Americans, a 30% increase in seizures, showcasing a decisive White House-led effort.