By Zoila Palma: The United States has seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in separate operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, U.S. officials said Wednesday, marking an escalation in enforcement of sanctions targeting the country’s oil trade.
U.S. European Command said it seized the merchant vessel Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions after tracking the ship for weeks as it attempted to evade a U.S. blockade of sanctioned oil vessels tied to Venezuela, AP reports.
The tanker was intercepted in the North Atlantic and later transferred to U.S. law enforcement authorities, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations.
In a separate action, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said U.S. forces also took control of the tanker Sophia in the Caribbean.
In a social media post, Noem said both vessels had either recently docked in Venezuela or were en route there, underscoring what U.S. officials describe as a broader effort to disrupt illicit oil shipments connected to Caracas.
The Bella 1 had been sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for allegedly smuggling cargo for a company linked to Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. U.S. officials said the Coast Guard attempted to board the ship in the Caribbean in December, but it refused and crossed the Atlantic.
During that voyage, shipping databases showed the vessel was renamed Marinera and reflagged to Russia, with its crew even painting a Russian flag on the hull.
U.S. European Command said the Coast Guard cutter Munro tracked the ship ahead of its seizure under a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court, citing President Donald Trump’s proclamation authorizing action against sanctioned vessels deemed a threat to regional security.
The post International News: U.S. seizes 2 sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The United States has seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in separate operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, U.S. officials said Wednesday, marking an escalation in enforcement of sanctions targeting the country’s oil trade. U.S. European Command said it seized the merchant vessel Bella 1 for violations of U.S.
The post International News: U.S. seizes 2 sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
