U.S. forces seized two oil tankers tied to Venezuela on Wednesday — one in the North Atlantic and another in the Caribbean — escalating Washington’s global effort to enforce sanctions and block what officials describe as illicit oil shipments connected to Venezuela’s shadow fleet.
One of the vessels, the Russian-flagged Marinera, formerly known as the M/V Bella 1, was taken into custody in the North Atlantic after weeks of pursuit. U.S. European Command said the tanker was seized under a federal court warrant for violating U.S. sanctions and transporting Iranian oil. “The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro,” the agency said. U.S. officials said the Marinera had a history of transporting Venezuelan crude and had been under U.S. sanctions since mid-2024 for involvement in prohibited oil trading. The vessel was last tracked earlier this month near the waters off Scotland, after briefly activating its transponder. Officials said Russia sent two naval ships and a submarine to escort the Marinera, which was between Iceland and Britain, heading northeast.
At nearly the same time, U.S. Southern Command announced, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the seizure of a second tanker, the M/T Sophia, which it described as “a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker.” In a post on X, the agency said the U.S. Coast Guard was escorting the vessel to the United States for “final disposal,” and no American personnel were injured. SOUTHCOM accused the M/T Sophia, of carrying out “illicit activities” in international waters in the Caribbean Sea.
Russia condemned the operation, accusing Washington of breaching international law. Russia’s Transport Ministry said the Marinera had been granted temporary authorization to sail under the Russian flag in late December and claimed U.S. forces boarded the vessel in international waters. The Foreign Ministry said it was monitoring the situation closely and demanded the humane treatment and “prompt return” of Russian citizens aboard. Senior lawmakers accused the U.S. of acting unlawfully, with some describing the seizure as piracy.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the boardings were conducted just hours apart and praised the Coast Guard’s actions, describing them as “two safe, effective boardings within hours of each other.” She said the Marinera had attempted to avoid capture by changing its identity at sea, adding that the Coast Guard crew pursued the ship “across the high seas and through treacherous storms.”
The seizures come amid President Donald Trump’s renewed push to enforce what he has described as a global blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the effort remains “in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world,” adding that “The United States continues to enforce the blockade against all dark fleet vessels illegally transporting Venezuelan oil to finance illicit activity, stealing from the Venezuelan people. Only legitimate and lawful energy commerce—as determined by the U.S.—will be permitted.” Trump has also said Venezuela would eventually hand over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States.
The United Kingdom confirmed it provided support to the interception, including aerial surveillance and pre-planned operational assistance. British officials said intelligence assessments linked the vessel to illegal activity tied to organized crime and extremist financing.
The actions follow last month’s seizure of two other oil tankers near Venezuela and come days after U.S. forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces U.S. charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine trafficking. The developments have fueled uncertainty over Venezuela’s leadership, with Trump claiming the U.S. is now “in charge” of the country, while Venezuelan officials insist the government remains firmly in control.
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