The United States has seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in rapid succession in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, marking a significant escalation in the enforcement of U.S. oil sanctions. American officials confirmed the operations on Wednesday, saying they were aimed at vessels accused of evading restrictions tied to illicit oil trade involving Venezuela.
U.S. European Command announced the seizure of the merchant vessel Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions. The tanker had been under surveillance since last month after allegedly attempting to evade a U.S. blockade targeting sanctioned oil shipments connected to Venezuela. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the military later transferred control of the vessel to law enforcement authorities.
In a separate action, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem revealed that U.S. forces also took control of another tanker, the Sophia, in the Caribbean. In a post on social media, Noem said both ships had either recently docked in Venezuela or were en route to the country, placing them within the scope of U.S. sanctions enforcement.
