Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah, Venezuela's new vice president and member of the Lebanese Maddah family, has become a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the US Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, as has a wealthy associate of his.

El Aissami, a criminal lawyer by trade, is one of Venezuela's 200,000 Druzes and came originally from Jabaal al-Druze in Syria, a fact that might have something to do with the US Government's antipathy towards him. His mother is the heir of the Lebanese Maddah family. Without presenting evidence for its many allegations, the relevant US press release goes on to say that the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has also labelled Samark Jose Lopez Bello, another Venezuelan, a trafficker of illegal narcotics for helping El Aissami commit activities that are illegal in the US. OFAC has also 'designated' or otherwise sanctioned 13 companies, some belonging to Lopez Bello, that comprise an international network spanning the British Virgin Islands, Panama, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela.

As a result, US financial firms are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions or otherwise dealing with these individuals and entities, and they are called upon to freeze any assets that these people may have under US jurisdiction.

Lopez Bello oversees an international network of petroleum, distribution, engineering, telecommunications, and asset holding companies: Alfa One, CA (Venezuela), Grupo Sahect, CA (Venezuela), MFAA Holdings Limited (British Virgin Islands), Profit Corporation, CA (Venezuela), Servicios Tecnologicios Industriales, CA (Venezuela), SMT Tecnologia, CA (Venezuela), and Yakima Trading Corporation (Panama).  Another entity, Yakima Oil Trading, LLP (United Kingdom), is owned, controlled, or directed by, or acting for or on behalf of, Yakima Trading Corporation (Panama). Profit Corporation, CA and SMT Tecnologia, CA have Venezuelan government contracts. Between 2009 and 2010, Grupo Sahect CA provided storage and transportation services for the Venezuelan government agency Productora y Distribuidora de Alimentos, SA (PDVAL).

Five US companies owned or controlled by Lopez Bello and/or MFAA Holdings Limited have also been 'blocked,' in US Treasury parlance. They are all limited liability companies registered in Florida: 1425 Brickell Ave 63-F LLC; 1425 Brickell Avenue Unit 46B, LLC; 1425 Brickell Avenue 64E, LLC; Agusta Grand I LLC; and 200G PSA Holdings LLC. Additionally, a US-registered aircraft with the tail number N200VR has been identified as blocked property owned or controlled by 200G PSA Holdings LLC.

The US Government has also 'blocked' items of real estate and other assets in the Miami area that it says are connected to Lopez Bello.

Since June 2000, the US Government has blacklisted more than 2,000 people and companies under the Kingpin Act for allegedly trafficking narcotics internationally.  The Act can impose civil penalties of up to $1,437,153 per violation and also criminal penalties which, for the officers of offending corporations, may go up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other people face up to 10 years in prison and fines as well.