Authorities in the Dominican Republic raided an $18 million mansion owned by a fugitive Venezuelan multimillionaire, which embattled leader Nicolas Maduro’s wife allegedly fled to in late April.
However, by the time authorities arrived Sunday at the oceanfront home in the resort town of Punta Cana, Samark López, 44, was no where to be found.
According to the Dominican Republic Attorney General’s office, narcotic officers on the Caribbean island and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency also investigated a separate home owned by the fugitive businessman.
Miami-based Peruvian journalist Jaime Bayly said the lavish home was purchased by López and former Venezuelan vice president Tarek El Aissami.
Narcotics agents in the Dominican Republic were helped by DEA officers in raiding two homes, including an $18 million mansion, owned by a fugitive Venezuelan businessman. The Punta Cana oceanfront home allegedly housed Cilia Flores, the wife of embattled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro
The $18 million mansion in the Dominica Republic resort town of Punta Cana is located off the shores of Juanillo Beach. It boasts of six bedrooms and two additional rooms that can house guests
On April 30, Nicolas Maduro (left) allegedly got a plane from Russian President Vladimir Putin and sent his wife Cilia Flores (right) to the Dominican Republic. It was also the same day interim president Juan Guaidó led military personnel and civilians in an uprising against Maduro which he called ‘Operation Freedom’
On April 30, interim president Juan Guaidó led military personnel and civilians in an uprising against Maduro which he called ‘Operation Freedom’.
Bayly revealed on his news magazine program on Mega TV that on that same day, Russian president Vladimir Putin provided a plane that ushered Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores to the Dominican Republic.
Maduro, however, rejected the allegation that his wife had fled Venezuela, claiming instead that Flores joined him at different functions.
The Venezuelan leader went as far as showing videos to prove that his wife never abandoned him.
Located in the exclusive zone of Cap Cana, the estate, which is dubbed Villa La Caracola, lies off the shores of Juanillo Beach.
The swank property, which is surrounded by trees and features a professional golf course, boasts six bedrooms, each with their own bathrooms. There are also two additional rooms that can house guests or can be turned into office space.
The United States government is seeking to arrest Samark López, a Venezuelan businessman loyal to the Nicolas Maduro regime who was been charged by the feds for his role in international drug trafficking
A pool sits outside an $18 million mansion in the Dominican resort town of Punta Cana. The swank property was raided on Sunday by the Caribbean island’s narcotics agents and the Drug Enforcement Agency
The lavish multi-million dollar mansion features several bathrooms including this one with two showers and a jacuzzi
The mansion has six bedrooms and two other rooms that can accommodate additional guests
The search at the multi-million dollar mansion led to the arrest of a Venezuelan couple, Armando J. Leiva and Carmen J. Pinto de Leiva, and two Colombian women, María Eugenia Rojas and Karol V. Gutiérrez Nieve.
Agents seized $25,000 USD and 18,000 euros in cash.
Three SUVs and a collection of 30 luxury watches and jewelry were also confiscated.
DailyMail.com reached out to the Dominican Republic’s Attorney General for comment.
López and El Aissami, who now serves as Minister of Industries and National Production, were sanctioned in February 2017 by the U.S. Department of Treasury.
It accused the politician and his front man of roles in international drug trafficking.
Dominican authorities and US federal agents raided the $18 million mansion (pictured) where Nicolas Maduro’s wife allegedly recently fled to
Dominican authorities confiscated a collection of 30 watches (pictured) while searching a mansion
Investigators inspect some of the watches that were seized during Sunday’s raid
López was added to the Kingpin Act ‘for providing material assistance, financial support, or goods or services… and acting for or on behalf of, El Aissami.’
A February 2017 investigative report by Univision found the businessman to have also paid $16.5 million in cash for a nine-bedroom Mediterranean-style mansion in Miami in 2016.
López built his fortune through favorable business deals with the Venezuelan socialist government.
In March 2019, both López and El Aissami, who is accused by the U.S. of his links to Iran and Hezbollah, were charged with five counts of evading the sanctions and violating the Kingpin Act.
They could each face a maximum 30 years in jail if convicted.
A February 2017 investigative report by Univision discovered that Samark López purchased a nine-bedroom mansion in Miami for $16 million in cash in 2016
The United States Department of Treasury sanctioned former vice president Tareck El Aissami