US Forces Seize Russia-Flagged Oil Tanker That Eluded Venezuela Blockade
US forces intercepted and seized a sanctioned oil tanker on Wednesday in the North Atlantic, more than two weeks after the vessel evaded a US-led blockade off the coast of Venezuela. The ship, formerly known as the Bella 1 and recently reflagged as the Marinera under Russian colors, was boarded by US military and Coast Guard personnel between Iceland and the British Isles.
The operation was carried out under a warrant issued by a US federal court and followed continuous tracking by the Coast Guard Cutter Munro. The seizure marks a direct enforcement action under President Trump’s expanded oil sanctions targeting Venezuelan exports and affiliated actors across the globe.
According to US officials, the Marinera had been previously sanctioned for transporting Iranian oil and Hezbollah-linked cargo in 2024. After fleeing Venezuelan waters in late December, the ship reportedly attempted to reach Russian territory, with military support from Moscow, including a submarine escort. However, US aircraft and naval forces, including AC-130 gunships and P-8 surveillance planes, assisted in intercepting the vessel.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the success of the mission, stating that “the blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world.”
This comes just days after Delta Force commandos captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. The oil blockade, announced by President Trump in December, is part of a broader effort to collapse the revenue networks that have fueled narco-terrorism and regime corruption across the region.
Trump has stated that the US will soon be receiving over $1 billion worth of sanctioned oil from Venezuela’s interim authorities, with the revenue to be controlled directly by the White House. He emphasized that the seized oil will benefit both the American and Venezuelan people.
The Marinera is not the only vessel being targeted. Reports indicate that another Venezuela-linked tanker is currently being tracked in a separate operation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently reiterated that the US is using the oil quarantine to pressure Venezuela into compliance, calling it a form of strategic leverage.
With the seizure of the Marinera, the Trump administration is sending a loud message to rogue regimes and shadow fleets worldwide: no matter the flag, no matter the distance, enforcement is coming.