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By Jordan King and Shane Croucher
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The U.S. seized another oil tanker suspected of carrying embargoed Venezuelan crude in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea.
The vessel, the Motor Tanker Olina, was boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard early on Friday morning, Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X, adding: "The world’s criminals are on notice."
This is the latest in several ships intercepted by U.S. forces in the ongoing campaign to restrict Venezuela’s oil exports under international sanctions.
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The U.S. Coast Guard declined to comment further and when Newsweek approached the White House, it was referred to Noem’s statement.
Why It Matters
The seizure of the Olina highlights the U.S. government's efforts to exert control over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves amid wider geopolitical tensions and the aftermath of recent U.S.-led military operations in Caracas that saw Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro captured on January 3.
Trump said Venezuela has agreed to send 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. for refining and is also cooperating on rebuilding the sector there, including its critical infrastructure. After the regime agreed to release political prisoners, and with its cooperation on oil, Trump said he would cancel plans for a second wave of military action against Venezuela.
What To Know
The Olina was intercepted near Trinidad while attempting to "evade U.S. forces," Noem said, having departed Venezuelan waters fully loaded with oil, according to Reuters.
The ship was sailing under the false flag of Timor-Leste, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed industry source. It was part of a flotilla that left shortly after the U.S. captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro last week.
Reuters reported that the Olina used to be named the Minerva M, which was placed under U.S. sanctions in January last year, according to the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
British maritime analytics firm Vanguard indicated that the Olina’s location tracker had gone dark 52 days ago, last broadcasting in the Venezuelan Exclusive Economic Zone.
The Olina is the fifth such vessel seized by the U.S. in recent weeks, reflecting stepped-up U.S. enforcement after the capture Maduro.
The M Sophia, part of the same flotilla as the Olina, was seized by U.S. forces earlier this week. Other fully loaded vessels that are part of the flotilla—Skylyn, Min Hang and Merope—sailed back to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed industry source.
The remaining seven ships in the flotilla were set to return on Friday and Saturday, Reuters said.
What People Are Saying
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X: "Close coordination with the Department of War, the State Department and the Justice Department ensured a safe, effective boarding consistent with law.
"The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality. The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international law, and eliminate these funding streams for illicit activity including narco-terrorism.
"We are deeply proud of the Coast Guard's maritime fighting force for their relentless execution of this mission. This is owning the sea."
Vice President JD Vance told Fox News: "The way that we control Venezuela is we control the purse strings, we control the energy resources, and we tell the regime—you’re allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America's national interests."
What Happens Next
US officials have indicated the blockade and interdiction of Venezuelan oil exports will continue "anywhere in the world".
Future action against additional tankers in the region remains uncertain, but seven more ships connected to Venezuela are reportedly returning to port.
Congressional oversight, legal justifications for ongoing military operations, and the fate of oil revenues seized from Venezuela continue to be debated.
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