The U.S. Coast Guard on Jan. 9 boarded the sanctioned oil tanker Olina as part of Washington's campaign to tighten control over Venezuela's oil trade, the Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 9, citing undisclosed U.S. officials and the Vanguard tracking company.
This marks the fifth tanker seized by the U.S. authorities in recent weeks, including the vessel Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, which was sailing under a Russian flag at the time of its seizure.
The Olina, formerly known as Minerva M, is a shadow fleet vessel sanctioned by the U.S., EU, the U.K., and other countries for transporting Russian oil in violation of earlier restrictions.
The reported move comes as tensions between Washington and Moscow mount, fueled by the U.S. capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and Russia's continued war in Ukraine.
Reuters reported that the tanker, falsely sailing under the Timor-Leste flag, previously traveled from Venezuela and had returned to the region. It was detained in the Caribbean Sea near Trinidad.
The Marine Traffic tracking data, last updated in November, show the Olina off the Venezuelan coast.
The news comes as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to enforce control over the Venezuelan oil trade, while Maduro is facing trial after being detained by U.S. forces in Caracas on Jan. 3.
"The United States continues to enforce the blockade against all dark fleet vessels illegally transporting Venezuelan oil to finance illicit activity, stealing from the Venezuelan people," U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier this week.
"Only legitimate and lawful energy commerce — as determined by the U.S. — will be permitted."
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