U.S. Forces Seize Sixth Oil Tanker in Caribbean Amid Venezuela Quarantine (Video)

WASHINGTON — In a bold expansion of “Operation Southern Spear,” U.S. military forces intercepted and seized a crude oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea early Thursday morning. The vessel, identified as the Motor Tanker Veronica, marks the sixth sanctioned ship captured by the United States in recent weeks as the Trump administration moves to exert total control over Venezuelan oil exports.

Early this morning, a Coast Guard tactical team conducted a pre-dawn boarding and seizure of Motor Tanker Veronica in the Caribbean. As another sanctioned ghost fleet tanker, Motor Tanker Veronica had previously passed through Venezuelan waters, and was operating in defiance of… pic.twitter.com/MyWyQGH1h0

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 15, 2026

The Operation

The seizure was executed by a specialized contingent of Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear. According to a statement from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the operation was launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). Blurry, black-and-white aerial footage released by the military showed tactical teams rappelling from helicopters onto the deck of the merchant vessel under the cover of darkness.

The Veronica, which marine records suggest was sailing under a Guyanese flag, was apprehended “without incident.” Authorities stated the ship was operating in direct defiance of the “maritime quarantine” established to prevent the unauthorized transport of Venezuelan crude.

Strategic Context

This latest interdiction follows the dramatic capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. Since his removal to the United States, the Trump administration has intensified its maritime blockade, targeting the so-called “shadow fleet”—a network of aging, often falsely flagged vessels used to bypass international sanctions.

“The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,” SOUTHCOM officials declared in a social media post following the raid. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed this sentiment, framing the seizure as a necessary step to dismantle “illicit criminal networks” and “narco-terrorism” in the Western Hemisphere.

Rising Global Tensions

The aggressive enforcement of Operation Southern Spear has sparked significant international friction. Last week, U.S. forces seized the Russian-flagged tanker Marinera (formerly Bella 1) in the North Atlantic after a two-week pursuit. That operation nearly led to a naval standoff when Moscow reportedly dispatched a submarine to escort the vessel.

While the Veronica seizure occurred in the Caribbean, the broader campaign has drawn sharp rebukes from Moscow and Tehran. Russian officials have labeled the actions “21st-century piracy,” while some domestic critics, including Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), expressed concerns that the administration is “sleepwalking” the country into a larger conflict.

Economic Impact

The blockade is already reshaping global energy flows. Shipping analytics from Kpler indicate that Venezuelan crude loadings have plummeted to nearly half of their normal levels this month. The U.S. government has signaled that it intends to manage Venezuela’s oil distribution directly, with President Trump recently claiming that the U.S. would control the nation’s energy resources “for years” to ensure stability and debt repayment.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Veronica was being escorted to an undisclosed port for further investigation and cargo confiscation.

Sources

• The Guardian: US military seizes Venezuela oil tanker under Trump sanctions
• CBS News: U.S. forces seize sixth Venezuela-linked oil tanker
• Military.com: US Seizes Another Sanctioned Oil Tanker It Says Has Ties to Venezuela
• Xinhua: U.S. forces seize 6th oil tanker linked to Venezuela
• gCaptain: Russian-Flagged Tanker Seized By U.S. Arrives in UK Waters