The United States has seized yet another oil tanker suspected of carrying sanctioned Venezuelan crude, deepening an aggressive naval campaign aimed at choking off illicit oil exports from the South American nation.
“Ghost Fleet” Tanker Taken in Pre-Dawn Raid
The vessel, identified as the Olina, was intercepted on Friday in the Caribbean during a pre-dawn operation involving the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Southern Command, and Marines deployed from the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the Olina as part of a so-called “ghost fleet” — tankers that allegedly operate under false flags and obscure their identities to bypass sanctions. She said the ship had departed Venezuela while attempting to evade U.S. forces.
“The ghost fleets will not outrun justice,” Noem wrote on X, adding that the seizure was carried out by U.S. forces enforcing sanctions on embargoed oil shipments.
Fifth Seizure as Naval Blockade Expands
The Olina is the fifth tanker seized since U.S. President Donald Trump announced a renewed naval “blockade” targeting sanctioned oil traffic linked to Venezuela. Three of those seizures have occurred within the past week alone, according to U.S. officials.
Earlier this week, U.S. forces also took control of a Russia-linked tanker in the North Atlantic, an operation that drew sharp criticism from Moscow after the vessel was pursued from waters near Venezuela.
Video released by SOUTHCOM showed U.S. personnel rappelling from helicopters onto the Olina, underscoring what the command called a clear message that “there is no safe haven for criminals” operating at sea.
Trump Signals Long-Term U.S. Control
The seizures come amid increasingly blunt rhetoric from Trump, who said in an interview with The New York Times that the United States could effectively run Venezuela and tap into its vast oil reserves for years.
When asked how long Washington might demand direct oversight of the country, Trump replied that it would be “much longer” than a matter of months, signaling a potentially prolonged U.S. presence and continued enforcement operations in the region.
With U.S. naval assets now heavily deployed across the Caribbean and beyond, officials suggest further interceptions could follow as Washington tightens its grip on what it calls illicit Venezuelan oil networks.
