U.S. seizes Venezuela-linked oil tanker that defied blockade and had reregistered as Russian vessel

The U.S. has intercepted and boarded a Venezuela-linked oil tanker, now registered under Russia, in the North Atlantic after multiple weeks of pursuit.

The oil tanker sanctioned by the Treasury Department, formerly called the Bella 1 and now named Marinera, defied the U.S. maritime “blockade” of sanctioned tankers. It was reportedly being shadowed by a Russian submarine when U.S. authorities seized the tanker.

The U.S. European Command announced via social media that the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security seized “the M/V Bella 1 for violations of US sanctions.”

In a separate announcement, the U.S. Southern Command said the Department of Defense apprehended a second tanker, calling the operation a seizure of a “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident.”

“The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea,” the social media post read. “The U.S. Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the U.S. for final disposition.”

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said two back-to-back predawn operations conducted by the Coast Guard on Wednesday to board two “ghost fleet” tanker ships — one in the North Atlantic Ocean and another in international waters near the Caribbean.

Both vessels were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it, she said.

President Trump unilaterally imposed a “total and complete blockade” on already sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers on Dec. 16. 

“The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on social media.

The crude oil tanker had been on the U.S. sanctions list since 2024, under then-President Biden.

“One of these tankers, Motor Tanker Bella I, has been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing its flag and painting a new name on the hull while being pursued, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice,” Ms. Noem said. “The heroic crew of the USCGC Munro pursued this vessel across the high seas and through treacherous storms— keeping diligent watch, and protecting our country with the determination and patriotism that make Americans proud.”

The Coast Guard, which had a warrant to seize the ship, tried to board Marinera off Venezuela last month, having been accused of breaking U.S. sanctions and shipping Iranian oil. It then changed its name and reregistered as a Russian vessel. 

The seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker comes after the Russian Foreign Ministry told state news agency TASS that the vessel was operating in full compliance with international maritime law, and it was receiving “disproportionate” attention from the U.S. 

The Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it was monitoring the situation with concern.

“For several days now, Marinera has been followed by a U.S. Coast Guard ship, despite the fact that our vessel is located approximately 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) from the U.S. coastline,” the statement said.

Russia had reportedly sent at least one Russian naval vessel to escort the tanker.

This development is one of many in the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. 

Last month, the U.S. seized two oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela as part of its blockade of sanctioned oil shipments to and from the country. Since September, American strikes on multiple vessels have killed more than 100 people in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. 

More recently, the U.S. military seized Mr. Maduro and flew him and his wife to the U.S. to be tried for drug and terrorism-related charges. Mr. Trump has accused the Venezuelan president of using multiple vessels to move drugs toward the U.S.

“The world’s criminals are on notice. You can run, but you can’t hide,” Ms. Noem said in her social media post. “We will never relent in our mission to protect the American people and disrupt the funding of narco terrorism wherever we find it, period. This is our country’s greatest fighting force at their best. This is America first at sea.”