The United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic after a weekslong pursuit that turned the vessel into a flashpoint among Washington, Moscow and Caracas, underscoring the Trump administration's expanding blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil. U.S. officials said the tanker-formerly known as Bella 1 and later renamed Marinera-was taken pursuant to a federal court warrant for violating U.S. sanctions linked to illicit Venezuelan crude shipments.
The seizure, confirmed by U.S. European Command, followed days of surveillance involving U.S. Coast Guard and military assets operating from the United Kingdom. The command said on X that "the vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro."
The operation marked the second tanker seizure announced by U.S. authorities on Wednesday. U.S. Southern Command separately said it had taken control of another vessel in the Caribbean, describing it as stateless and alleging it was "conducting illicit activities." The Department of Homeland Security framed the actions as part of a broader enforcement campaign tied to narcotics and sanctions evasion.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the interdictions, saying: "The world's criminals are on notice. You can run, but you can't hide. We will never relent in our mission to protect the American people and disrupt the funding of narco terrorism wherever we find it, period."
U.S. officials said the Marinera had been on the sanctions list since June 2024 as part of what they describe as a "shadow fleet" ferrying illicit oil. The tanker initially evaded capture last month near Venezuela by reversing course, prompting U.S. forces to track it as it headed northeast across the Atlantic. Surveillance aircraft, including P-8 maritime patrol planes operating from RAF Mildenhall, monitored the vessel for days.
During the pursuit, the tanker painted a Russian flag on its hull and later appeared on Russia's official ship registry under its new name. Russian officials demanded that the U.S. halt its pursuit, asserting the vessel was operating legally under Russian jurisdiction. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was "monitoring with concern the anomalous situation surrounding the Russian oil tanker Marinera," adding that U.S. attention was "clearly disproportionate to its peaceful status."
U.S. officials rejected that claim, saying Washington does not recognize the reflagging and considers the vessel stateless. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced that stance, writing: "The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT - anywhere in the world."
The seizure coincided with a visible buildup of U.S. military aircraft in Britain. Flight-tracking data showed multiple C‑17 Globemaster III arrivals, along with V-22 Ospreys and AC-130 gunships, as the tanker moved past the U.K. coast. Analysts said the deployment signaled Washington's willingness to enforce sanctions well beyond the Caribbean.
The action follows President Donald Trump's announcement last month of a "complete blockade" on sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the blockade would remain in place as "leverage" following the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
