World

U.S. seizes sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela

Published on

December 10, 2025

The United States has seized a crude oil tanker accused of transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pamela Bondi. The vessel was taken in a coordinated operation involving multiple federal agencies.

The seizure occurred on Wednesday off the coast of Venezuela, where personnel from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, carried out a warrant to take control of the tanker, according to the Justice Department.

Bondi said the ship had been sanctioned for several years for its role in an illicit oil network supporting foreign terrorist organizations. Officials did not release the vessel’s name or additional details about the interception.

Bondi shared video footage showing federal personnel arriving by helicopter, descending onto the deck, and securing positions as they took control of the vessel. She said the operation was completed “safely and securely,” and added that investigations continue into efforts to transport sanctioned oil.

President Trump commented on the operation during remarks at the Oval Office. “As you probably know, we’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Largest one ever seized actually, and other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later,” Trump said. The White House did not provide further information.

A person familiar with the matter told Politico that the tanker was en route to Cuba, where the state-owned firm Cubametales planned to sell the shipment to energy brokers in Asia.

The seizure comes amid broader U.S. actions targeting Venezuelan networks. In recent remarks, Trump said the United States would soon begin focusing on land routes used by Venezuelan traffickers after maritime smuggling had been disrupted.