US Intercepts Another Venezuelan Oil Tanker Amid Ongoing Sanctions

Sat Jan 10 2026 07:10:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The United States has recently seized the Olina tanker, linked to Venezuela, as part of efforts to control illicit oil exports.

US forces have successfully seized the Olina tanker in the Caribbean Sea, marking the fifth vessel apprehended in recent weeks. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that the tanker was attempting to evade US forces and is associated with embargoed Venezuelan oil. This seizure reflects ongoing US Maritime strategies to disrupt illegal oil shipments from Venezuela.

US forces have seized another tanker in the Caribbean Sea, officials said, as Washington continues its efforts to control exports of Venezuelan oil.

Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: 'there is no safe haven for criminals,' US Southern Command said on X.

The X post on Friday morning stated that Marines and sailors, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended the Olina oil tanker.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem indicated that the Olina was another 'ghost fleet' tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil and was seized after it departed Venezuela attempting to evade US forces.

Noem posted a video online that appeared to show troops dropping onto a ship from a helicopter. The tanker, the Olina, is on multiple countries' sanctions lists.

This is the fifth vessel seized by the US in recent weeks.

Maritime risk company Vanguard Tech noted that the vessel was trying to breach the US naval blockade in the Caribbean.

The company's tracking data showed the vessel's location tracker was last active 52 days ago, northeast of Curacao, stating that the seizure follows a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region.