In an escalation of its sanctions enforcement against Venezuela, U.S. forces seized two oil tankers accused of transporting illicit Venezuelan crude on Wednesday, marking the third and fourth such interceptions in the past month.

The operations, conducted by the Department of War in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, targeted the M/T Sophia in the Caribbean Sea and the M/V Bella 1, recently renamed Marinera, in the North Atlantic near Iceland.

The M/T Sophia, described as a Panama-flagged but “stateless” supertanker operating in “dark mode” with its transponder deactivated, was intercepted before dawn in international waters near the Caribbean. The U.S. Southern Command on X said that the vessel was apprehended without any incident. The U.S. Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the U.S. for final disposition, they added.

The vessel had departed from Venezuelan waters in early January, carrying oil destined for China as part of a shadow fleet evading U.S. restrictions.

“Through Operation Southern Spear, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere. We will defend our Homeland and restore security and strength across the Americas,” the Southern Command added.

The capture of M/T Sophia came after the seizure of the M/V Bella 1, which unfolded in a more dramatic fashion. Originally flagged under Guyana and later reflagged to Russia under the name Marinera, complete with a painted Russian flag on its hull, the vessel had evaded an initial U.S. boarding attempt in the Caribbean on December 21, 2025, before fleeing across the Atlantic.

Pursued for over two weeks by the U.S. Coast Guard cutter MUNRO, the tanker was finally boarded in the North Atlantic, between Iceland and Britain, on January 7. The operation was executed by Department of Homeland Security components with support from Department of War, said U.S. European Command on X.

During the pursue of M/V Bella 1 by American vessels, Russian naval vessels, including a submarine, had escorted the ship during parts of its journey. But no confrontation occurred during its seizure as they were not in the vicinity during the final operation today.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that both the ships had either last docked in Venezuela or were en route to it. She wrote, “Motor Tanker Bella I, has been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing its flag and painting a new name on the hull while being pursued, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice.”

Posting an over-3-minute video showing American forces boarding M/T Sophia, Noem wrote, “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. This is our country’s greatest fighting force at their best. This is America first at sea.”

This marks the first U.S. seizure of a Russian-flagged vessel in recent history, raising concerns about potential escalation of fallout with Moscow. Russia’s transport ministry said it had lost all contact with the Marinera after U.S. naval forces boarded it. Russian officials have called it an act of piracy. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Bella 1 held a temporary Russian sailing permit since December 24, 2025.

Both seizures were executed as per U.S. federal court warrants for carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil, and are part of a broader blockade ordered by President Donald Trump in December 2025, targeting all sanctioned tankers entering or exiting Venezuelan ports.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Trump administration will continue to enforce the sanction, stating on X: “The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world.”

The actions come just days after U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a raid in Caracas on January 3, 2026, transporting him to the U.S. for prosecution on drug trafficking charges.

The Trump administration views these interceptions as critical to regaining control over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, which have been nationalised and exported to countries such as Russia, China, and Iran. President Trump has announced that Venezuela would soon send 30-50 million barrels of oil to the U.S., valued at $1.8-3 billion, with profits going to American authorities.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright added that the U.S. would manage Venezuelan oil sales “indefinitely” to ensure compliance.

As Venezuelan oil is sanctioned by the U.S., it can’t be exported to most countries. Therefore, only a few countries, such as China and Cuba, were buying Venezuelan oil, apart from some quantity going to the U.S. under special waivers. After the U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuelan oil, buyers used a “shadow fleet” of tankers that disguised their location, or vessels already sanctioned for transporting Iranian or Russian oil.

Now, the Trump administration is attempting to prevent the oil from going to China and grab almost all of it. At present, millions of barrels of oil are stuck in storage tanks and loaded onto tankers, but are unable to ship due to an export blockade issued by the U.S.

The U.S. and Venezuela are working on a deal to export up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude to the United States. If the deal takes place, it will show that the South American nation is bowing down to American pressure to avoid more military action. Trump has said he wants interim President Delcy Rodriguez to give the U.S. and private companies “total access” to Venezuela’s oil industry.

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