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The U.S. Coast Guard first attempted to intercept the vessel last month, but it refused to be boarded. Since then, it has registered under a Russian flag and been renamed. The vessel is the latest tanker targeted by the U.S. Coast Guard since the start of U.S. President Donald Trump's pressure campaign against Venezuela. The vessel tanker Bella 1 at Singapore Strait, after U.S. officials say the U.S. Coast Guard pursued an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, in this picture taken from social media on March 18, 2025.

COAST GUARD SEIZES A SECOND VENEZUELA-LINKED TANKER
Separately, the U.S. Coast Guard also intercepted another Venezuela-linked tanker in Latin American waters on Wednesday. The U.S. military's Southern Command said the Panama-flagged supertanker M Sophia, which is under sanctions, was intercepted before dawn and described it as a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker." "The U.S. Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the U.S. for final disposition," Southern Command said in a statement.

The seizure was first reported by Reuters.

It had departed from Venezuelan waters in early January as part of a fleet of ships carrying Venezuelan oil to China in "dark mode" or with its transponder off, according to shipping data and sources.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-seizing-venezuela-linked-oil-tanker-after-weeks-long-pursuit-2026-01-07/