Washington, Jan 8: In a dramatic escalation of tensions tied to enforcement of sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports, U.S. military and Coast Guard forces have successfully seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera (formerly known as Bella 1) in the North Atlantic Ocean, following a pursuit that lasted more than two weeks.The operation was carried out late Wednesday, as part of Washington’s efforts to block vessels allegedly involved in transporting oil linked to Venezuela, Iran and Russia, which are under U.S. sanctions. The tanker had been tracked across the Atlantic after it evaded boarding near Venezuela in December and attempted to avoid a U.S. maritime blockade.
According to U.S. officials, the Marinera was seized for violating U.S. sanctions and was boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard under a federal court warrant. The action was supported by components of the Department of Justice, Homeland Security and Defence, highlighting a concerted government effort to enforce sanction compliance.
The tanker’s saga drew international attention after its crew reportedly painted a Russian flag on the hull and re-registered the vessel under Russia’s registry in an attempt to deter U.S. action. Moscow also formally protested the pursuit, arguing that the use of force against a Russian-flagged ship violated international maritime law.