On December 10, 2025, U.S. authorities seized a crude oil tanker that had been sanctioned by the United States for multiple years due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Venezuela en route to Cuba by federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the U.S. military and the Department of War.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated in a released statement: “This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely.”
The seizure disrupts an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.
