U.S. seizes seventh Venezuela-linked oil tanker in Caribbean

U.S. forces have seized another oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the Caribbean, marking the seventh such detention in recent weeks as Washington intensifies enforcement of sanctions on illicit oil shipments.

In a statement on X, U.S. Southern Command said U.S. military forces, acting in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended the Motor Vessel Sagitta ‘without incident’. The command released unclassified footage showing the operation.

SOUTHCOM said the tanker was operating in violation of President Donald Trump’s quarantine on sanctioned vessels in the region, which is intended to ensure that only legally authorised oil exports leave Venezuela.

‘The seizure of another tanker operating in defiance of the established quarantine demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela is oil that is properly and lawfully exported,’ the command said.

According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the Sagitta is a Panamanian-flagged vessel owned by Sunne Co Limited, a company linked to several U.S.-sanctioned ships. U.S. authorities have alleged that the tanker forms part of a so-called ‘shadow fleet’ used to transport oil from sanctioned states, including Venezuela, Iran and Russia.

The latest action brings the number of Venezuelan-linked tankers seized by U.S. forces since December to seven. Six of those detentions have taken place in the Caribbean, with one additional seizure in the North Atlantic.

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U.S. officials say the stepped-up maritime operations are part of broader efforts to counter sanctions evasion, illicit trafficking and unauthorised oil exports in the Western Hemisphere. As combined forces continue operations in the region, SOUTHCOM said the seizures underscore Washington’s commitment to security and stability.

The Trump administration has significantly increased military activity in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific since September, citing the need to disrupt illegal networks and enforce U.S. sanctions.

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