The United States has seized the Olina tanker in the Caribbean near Trinidad in the fifth such interdiction of ships in recent weeks as part of US efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports, the US military says.
The Olina, which according to public shipping database Equasis was falsely flying the flag of East Timor, had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, said an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter.
"The vessel's AIS (location) tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan EEZ, northeast of Curacao," UK maritime risk management company Vanguard said separately.
"The seizure follows a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region."
The pre-dawn action was carried out by US Marines and navy taking part in the months-long buildup of forces in the Caribbean, according to US Southern Command, which declared "there is no safe haven for criminals" as it announced the seizure of the vessel.
Southern Command posted unclassified footage on social media of a US helicopter landing on the vessel and US personnel conducting a search of the deck.
The Olina left Venezuela last week fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the US seized Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on January 3, and the vessel was returning fully loaded to Venezuela following the US blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, the industry source said.
The US imposed sanctions on the tanker in January last year, when it was named the Minerva M, for what the US said was it being part of the so-called shadow fleet of ships that sail with little regulation or known insurance.
with AP