The United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after a dramatic chase across the Atlantic Ocean.
The operation followed weeks of surveillance and pursuit by US forces.
According to officials, the vessel was targeted for allegedly moving oil in violation of US sanctions.
The tanker was first known as Bella 1 before it was later renamed Marinera.
It had been under scrutiny for suspected links to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments.
The seizure was carried out under a federal court warrant. Authorities said the ship was part of efforts to bypass a US blockade on sanction-evading oil trade.
However, the mission did not unfold as planned at the early stage.
US forces initially attempted to intercept the tanker near Venezuelan waters.
That effort failed, and the ship fled into the Atlantic.
Meanwhile, a weeks-long pursuit was launched involving the Coast Guard and military units.
During the chase, the crew reportedly took drastic steps to avoid capture. At one point, a Russian flag was painted on the ship’s hull.
The vessel was also re-registered under Russian authority in a bid to claim protection. US officials were not convinced by the move.
The tanker was still treated as “stateless” and open to seizure.
Therefore, surveillance was intensified as the ship moved northward.
The operation later shifted to the North Atlantic. The tanker was closely tracked by US surveillance aircraft. It was eventually spotted while passing between Ireland and Iceland.
Forces then boarded the ship under the federal seizure order. The move marked a major escalation in US enforcement actions at sea.
Moreover, it highlighted Washington’s growing focus on oil sanctions enforcement.
The tanker has been sanctioned by the US Treasury since 2024. Officials said it belonged to a so-called “shadow fleet” used to move restricted crude.
Such vessels are often accused of hiding ownership and altering identities.
Meanwhile, the seizure comes amid wider pressure on Venezuelan oil networks.
US authorities have pledged to block illegal oil flows tied to sanctioned actors.
In addition, officials say maritime tracking has become more aggressive.
It shows that long-distance evasion may no longer guarantee safety. Furthermore, it underlines the reach of US maritime enforcement.
