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US forces apprehend sanctioned vessel in Caribbean maritime operation targeting illicit oil transport
By Alexandra Koch
Published January 20, 2026
The Department of War announced Tuesday U.S. military forces apprehended another sanctioned tanker vessel in the Carribean as part of its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere.
U.S. Southern Command confirmed Motor Vessel Sagitta was apprehended earlier in the day without incident.
Video showed the vessel moving through the ocean with people on board the deck of the ship.
U.S. officials released new footage of a Venezuelan oil tanker seized in the Caribbean Tuesday. (Southcom via X)
"The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully," officials wrote in a statement on social media.
"As the joint force operates in the Western Hemisphere, we reaffirm that the security of the American people is paramount, demonstrating our commitment to safety and stability."
The Venezuelan oil tanker was seized by U.S. forces Tuesday, according to officials. (Southcom via X)
The apprehension was part of #OpSouthernSpear, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department.
The U.S. has now seized seven oil tankers since ramping up its campaign against illicit oil trade by Venezuela.
The U.S. military seized another fugitive oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the Caribbean Jan. 15, according to U.S. Southern Command. (US Southern Command)
The vessels intercepted have either been under U.S. sanctions or part of a "shadow fleet" of unregulated ships that disguise their origins to move oil from major sanctioned producers, including Iran, Russia and Venezuela.
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Officials previously said the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.
Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-forces-apprehend-sanctioned-vessel-caribbean-maritime-operation-targeting-illicit-oil-transport