US Eyes More Venezuela‑Connected Tanker Seizures

By Staff, Agencies

The US has filed court warrants to seize dozens of oil tankers linked to Venezuelan shipments, sources say, as Washington ramps up efforts to control the country’s oil trade.

In recent weeks, the US military and Coast Guard seized at least five Venezuela‑linked tankers in international waters as part of a broader campaign to pressure Caracas and control its oil exports.

Since US forces captured President Nicolas Maduro, Washington has signaled plans to control Venezuela’s oil resources indefinitely as part of its broader campaign in the country.

In December, US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade that halted Venezuelan crude exports, which have now resumed this week under US supervision.

The US has filed multiple civil forfeiture cases in federal courts to seize Venezuelan oil cargoes and tankers, with dozens of warrants reportedly submitted, sources told Reuters.

Sources to Reuters say there has been a temporary pause in US seizure actions since Friday, but operations could resume against vessels and cargoes not authorized by US authorities.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell reiterated on social media that the Department of Defense, along with other agencies, would “hunt down and interdict ALL dark fleet vessels transporting Venezuelan oil at the time and place of our choosing.”

This approach marks a significant escalation from previous US actions targeting sanctioned shipments from Iran between 2020 and 2023, when authorities typically seized only the oil cargo, not the vessel itself.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi noted that several other vessels remain under monitoring for potential enforcement actions after the seizure of the Bella‑1 tanker, a Russian‑flagged vessel taken in recent weeks. It was the first time in recent memory that the US military seized a Russian‑flagged ship.