U.S. forces seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, in the North Atlantic Wednesday after weeks of pursuit for its links to Venezuelan oil trade, officials confirmed.
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) said it conducted a boarding and seizure of the U.S.-sanctioned Bella 1 after a sustained tracking operation by the Coast Guard Cutter Munro.
Specialized capabilities. Global impact. An unstoppable joint force.
Alongside @DeptofWar, @USCG conducted a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Bella I this morning in the North Atlantic. Following a sustained shadowing effort across the Atlantic by Coast Guard Cutter… pic.twitter.com/xEmFkh4xLO
— U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) January 7, 2026
“Today, the United States executed a seizure warrant for the Bella 1, a crude oil tanker responsible for transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a post on X. “Despite frantic efforts to avoid apprehension, including fleeing from the United States Coast Guard, the vessel was safely apprehended this morning.”
She added that crew members are under full investigation and that criminal charges will be pursued against all responsible parties.
The operation came after reports that Russia had deployed a submarine and other naval assets to escort the tanker, which was then en route to the North Sea, approximately 300 miles south of Iceland.
U.S. officials interviewed by Reuters said Russian military vessels, including a submarine, were near the area during the U.S. operation. The exact proximity of the Russian vessels was not disclosed but there were no signs of any confrontation with U.S. forces.
Later Wednesday, the USCG also announced the separate seizure of the oil tanker M/T Sophia in the Caribbean.
Officials said the Panama-flagged supertanker is subject to U.S. sanctions. It left Venezuelan waters in early January as part of a fleet transporting Venezuelan oil to China in “dark mode,” with its transponder turned off, according to reports.
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Using its unique law enforcement authorities, @USCG tactical forces led a unified interagency effort to board and seize the Motor Tanker M Sophia east of the Caribbean Sea early this morning. Through close… pic.twitter.com/LcLNnOnOmM
— U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) January 7, 2026
The seizures mark the third and fourth publicly reported tanker seizures by the U.S. forces in recent months.
In December, the U.S. seized the Guyana-flagged tanker Skipper, sanctioned by the Treasury for allegedly supporting an oil-smuggling network that funded the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah. That same month, the U.S. also seized the Panamanian-flagged Centuries, alleged to be “operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil and fund the narcoterrorist Maduro regime.”
The operation follows President Donald Trump’s announcement of a “total and complete blockade” on all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, after accusing the country’s government of using oil to fund drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
