A reputed British criminal figure, famously known as The One, has been implicated in a significant cocaine smuggling operation alongside ousted Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro, as per a recent US indictment.
Robert Dawes, also known as The Voice, received a 22-year prison sentence in France for orchestrating a £216 million drug shipment that US authorities now allege involved Maduro. The ex-president and his spouse, First Lady Cilia Flores, are currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in New York following their capture by US special forces from Caracas.
Facing multiple charges such as conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and possession of weapons intended for use against the US, Maduro and two high-ranking officials were allegedly part of a scheme that transported 1.3 tonnes of cocaine on an Air France flight from Caracas to Paris in September 2013.
Reportedly, the illicit substances were concealed in 31 unclaimed suitcases on the flight, indicating potential involvement of security personnel at Maiquetia Airport in Caracas. Subsequent to the seizure, Maduro purportedly held an urgent meeting with Diosdado Cabello Rondón, current Minister of the Interior, and Hugo Carvajal Barrios, former military intelligence chief.
The US Department of Justice asserts that Maduro instructed Rondón and Barrios to avoid using the airport for future drug transports and instead rely on established trafficking routes and locations for cocaine dispatch. Maduro allegedly sanctioned the arrests of Venezuelan military officials to divert attention from his role in the shipment and its subsequent cover-up, as detailed in the 25-page indictment.
Although Dawes is not explicitly mentioned in the document, it concludes that Maduro and his associates have collaborated with violent drug traffickers and narco-terrorists for years, leveraging corrupt officials across the region to distribute large quantities of cocaine to the US.
In connection with the substantial cocaine haul, Venezuelan authorities apprehended 22 individuals, including eight National Guard members and nine Air France and airport personnel. The operation unfolded as Maduro assumed power following the death of former president Hugo Chávez in 2013.
Maduro, widely criticized as a harsh autocrat by the global community, vehemently denies being involved in drug cartels, attributing allegations to a ploy by Donald Trump to undermine him and seize Venezuela’s oil reserves. The legality of the operation has sparked international debate, with Maduro pleading not guilty during a recent court appearance.
Dawes, dubbed the “Teflon Don” due to his ability to evade justice through violence and sophisticated anti-surveillance methods, has a complex criminal history spanning multiple countries. Beginning as a juvenile offender, Dawes amassed numerous convictions for crimes ranging from robbery to drug offenses, cultivating a fearsome reputation in his community.
Having fled to Spain to avoid arrest in 2001, Dawes’ criminal empire eventually unraveled, leading to his imprisonment in Paris for the cocaine shipment in 2018. Subsequently, he received a life sentence in the Netherlands for orchestrating a murder plot against an innocent teacher at the behest of prosecutors.
The intricate web of criminal activities associated with Dawes underscores a dark chapter in his life, culminating in legal repercussions and a legacy marred by violence and corruption.
