US Seizes Oil Tanker Linked to Venezuela in Northern Atlantic
The United States has captured an oil tanker associated with Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, as reported by a social media post from the US European Command. The vessel, originally named the Bella 1, was sanctioned by the US in 2024 for operating within a “shadow fleet” of tankers transporting illicit oil.
News of the seizure emerged Wednesday, with Reuters citing two sources that confirmed the operation involved the Coast Guard and US military. According to a US official, the Russian military had begun relocating naval assets and a submarine to safeguard the Bella 1 prior to the US action. However, it remains unclear how close those vessels were to the tanker during the seizure, which occurred approximately 190 miles off the southern coast of Iceland in the northern Atlantic, as per ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.
MarineTraffic data shows the tanker made a sharp turn south around the time reports of its capture surfaced. US Navy SEALs were part of the forces that boarded the vessel, as revealed by two individuals familiar with the operation. The SEALs were transported to the tanker by the US Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the “night stalkers.”
“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.”
The Pentagon has not confirmed the details, stating it does not comment on Special Operations Forces assets. Separately, the US Southern Command announced another seizure in the Caribbean, identifying the vessel as stateless and alleging it was “conducting illicit activities.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the two seizures in a social media post, emphasizing the US commitment to disrupting criminal operations. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated President Donald Trump’s resolve to continue seizing sanctioned oil tankers, stating, “He’s going to enforce our policy that’s best for the United States of America. That means enforcing the embargo against all dark fleet vessels that are illegally transporting oil.”
The Coast Guard had previously attempted to seize the Bella 1 near Venezuela last month, but the ship evaded capture by turning around and fleeing. In a Wednesday post, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the tanker’s crew were “under full investigation” and that criminal charges would be pursued against all responsible parties for failing to comply with Coast Guard orders. Bondi also warned that crews of other sanctioned tankers could face prosecution if they disregarded federal instructions.
