Narcotics Rewards Program Offers for Information to Bring Venezuelan Nationals to Justice – United States Department of State

Today, the U. S. Department of State announces rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Venezuelan national Pedro Luis Martin-Olivares and up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of Venezuelan nationals Rodolfo McTurk-Mora and Jesus Alfredo Itriago.  All three are former Venezuelan public officials and current fugitives from justice.

Martin-Olivares, the former Venezuelan Chief of Economic Intelligence, was indicted on April 24, 2015 in the Southern District of Florida (SDFL) for:  distribution of a controlled substance, knowing that such controlled substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States, in violation of 21 U.S. Code, Section 959(a)(2); possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance on board an aircraft registered in the United States, in violation of 21 U.S. Code, Section 959(b)(2); and, conspiracy to import a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S. Code, Section 963.

McTurk-Mora, the former head of Interpol in Venezuela, was charged in the SDFL on December 19, 2013 with:  conspiracy to import cocaine, importation of cocaine into the United States, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and corrupting and impeding an official proceeding in violation of 21 U.S. Code 959(a)(2), 21 U.S. Code 959(b)(1)(B), 21 U.S. Code 963, and 18 U.S. Code 1512(k).

Itriago, the former Venezuelan Chief of Counternarcotics for the Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminálisticas (CICPC), was charged by indictment in the SDFL on January 31, 2013 with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance in Schedule II, knowing that such controlled substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States, in violation of 21 U.S. Code, Section 959(a)(2) and 21 U.S. Code, Section 963.  Pursuant to Title 21, U.S. Code, Section 960(b)(1)(B), it is further alleged that this violation involved five kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.

These reward offers are made under the Department of State’s Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP).  Together with the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program over 75 criminals have been brought to justice since these programs began in 1986.  The Department of State has paid over $130 million in rewards for information leading to those apprehensions.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs manages these rewards programs in close coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI), and other U.S. agencies.  These actions demonstrate the State Department’s commitment to support law enforcement efforts and a whole of government approach to combating transnational organized crime and supporting the Venezuelan people restore their democracy.

For more information on the individuals listed above and the Narcotics Rewards Program, please see https://www.state.gov/wanted-narcotics-reward-program-venezuelan-targets/.

Source: State Department