‘No Safe Haven For Criminals’: US Seizes Another Oil Tanker In Caribbean Sea | WATCH | World News
US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Friday (IST) that US forces seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. Separately, US Southern Command announced that the Olina tanker was captured without incident in a pre-dawn operation.
In a post on
Homeland Security chief said on
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“Ghost fleets will not escape justice. They will not hide under false claims of citizenship. The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international law, and dismantle these funding streams for illegal activities, including narco-terrorism,” Neom added.
The criminals of the world are on alert.
Early this morning, @USCG He carried out the landing and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters in the eastern Caribbean Sea. This ship had sailed as another “ghost fleet” tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil… pic.twitter.com/vvS3u3nrvl— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 9, 2026
Providing information about the seizure, the US Southern Command shared on
“Apprehensions like this are supported by the full power of the U.S. Navy Amphibious Ready Group, including the ready and lethal platforms of USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale,” the post said. The statement was included.
“The War Department’s Operation Southern Lance is unwavering in its mission to defend our homeland by ending illegal activities and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere,” the statement said.
Our joint interagency forces once again sent a clear message this morning: “There is no safe haven for criminals.”
In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Lance launched from the USS Gerald R. in support of the Department of Homeland Security. pic.twitter.com/StHo4ufcdx— US Southern Command (@Southcom) January 9, 2026
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Previously, a ship named Marinera and formerly known as Bella 1 was intercepted after a prolonged maritime pursuit that reportedly started in the Caribbean Sea and extended to the North Atlantic. According to the information obtained, the tanker had a multinational crew consisting of 17 Ukrainians, 6 Georgians, 3 Indians and 2 Russians, including the ship’s captain. The entire crew is currently in US custody.
According to IANS, the seizure took place on Wednesday, following what US agencies described as a coordinated operation with support from British forces. US officials claimed the tanker had ties to Venezuela and may have been involved in efforts to circumvent international sanctions.
(With inputs from IANS)
