US forces have seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean, officials reported, continuing the Trump administration’s campaign to control Venezuelan oil exports.
The tanker, named Olina, is listed under sanctions by multiple countries and marks the fifth vessel seized by the US in recent weeks. Authorities say these actions aim to pressure Venezuela’s interim government and remove what is known as the “dark fleet” of tankers from operation—a network of over 1,000 vessels used to transport sanctioned or illicit oil.
“Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: ‘there is no safe haven for criminals,’” said the US Southern Command on Friday.
The Olina reportedly departed Venezuelan waters late on Sunday, shortly after US forces captured President Nicolás Maduro in an early morning raid. Friday’s operation was executed before dawn by Marines and sailors in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. Officials said the vessel was seized after it “departed Venezuela attempting to evade US forces.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the tanker was “another ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil.” She shared a video showing troops deploying from a helicopter onto the ship and described the operation as “safe” and “effective.”
Maritime risk company Vanguard Tech said the Olina had attempted to bypass the US naval blockade in the Caribbean. The vessel was sailing under a false flag registered to Timor-Leste, according to the International Maritime Organization. Vanguard Tech added that the vessel’s location tracker was last active 52 days ago, northeast of Curacao, and that its seizure followed a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments.
The US had previously sanctioned the Olina in January of last year, when it was named Minerva M, accusing it of helping finance Russia’s war in Ukraine by transporting Russian oil to foreign markets.
Earlier this week, US authorities seized two additional tankers tied to Venezuelan oil exports in “back-to-back” operations across the North Atlantic and Caribbean.
One of these, the Russian-flagged Marinera, was captured with logistical support from the UK Royal Navy via air and sea. The Marinera is allegedly part of a shadow fleet transporting oil for Venezuela, Russia, and Iran in violation of US sanctions. US officials said the ship had been flying the flag of Guyana last month, effectively rendering it stateless.
The second tanker, M/T Sophia, was seized on suspicion of conducting illicit activities, US authorities said. Experts told BBC Verify that, under UN maritime law, authorities are permitted to board a stateless vessel.
President Donald Trump has said Venezuela—which possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves—will be “turning over” up to 50 million barrels of oil, valued at roughly $2.8 billion (£2.1 billion), to the US.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the oil would be sold “in the marketplace at market rates” and that the US would control how the proceeds are distributed “in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people.”
