TREATED, WE'RE TOLD, AS A GIANT PIECE OF EVIDENCE. THIS MORNING THE U.S. RAMPING UP PRESSURE ON VENEZUELA'S PRESIDENT, NICHOLAS MADURO. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SEIZED HIS PLANE AND BROUGHT IT TO THE UNITED STATES. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SAYS HE WILL USE IT TO VISIT OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE IT IS HIS ONLY VERSION OF AIRCRAFT ONE. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS A MADURO-AFFILIATED SHELL COMPANY ILLEGALLY PURCHASED THE PLANE ROUGHLY VALUED AT $13 MILLION FROM A FLORIDA-BASED COMPANY AND SMUGGLED IT TO VEEZUELA IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR IN WHAT THEY SAY IS A SANCTION. THE PLANE HAS FLOWN TO AND FROM A MILITARY BASE IN VENEZUELA. BUT THE AP REPORTS IT HAD BEEN IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOR MORE THAN A MONTH FOR MAINTENANCE. >> THE QUESTION NOW I THINK FOR THE MADURO GOVERNMENT IS WILL THE U.S. SEIZE PEOPLE? THAT WOULD BE THE REAL SIGNIFICANT ESCALATION, NOT THE SEIZURE OF ASSETS. >> Reporter: THIS COMES IN THE AFTERMATH OF THAT WIDELY DISPUTED VENEZUELAN