U.S. troops boarded and seized the Liberian-flagged tanker Sagitta in the Caribbean, marking the seventh vessel tied to Venezuela captured under the White House’s campaign targeting the country’s illicit oil trade.
Through #OpSouthernSpear, the @DeptofWar is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with @USCG, @DHSgov and @TheJusticeDept.
This morning, U.S. military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended… pic.twitter.com/UPADtiw681
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 20, 2026
In a post on X, the U.S. Southern Command said the Sagitta was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s quarantine on sanctioned ships and was taken “without incident.”
“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 post added.
The tanker, owned by a Hong Kong-based firm, had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. under an executive order linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The seizure of Venezuelan tankers follows President Donald Trump’s declaration of a “total and complete blockade” on sanctioned vessels entering or leaving Venezuela, after he accused the regime of using oil revenues to fund drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
Past intercepted vessels have either been under U.S. sanctions or part of a “shadow fleet” of ships that hide their origins to transport oil from major sanctioned producers such as Iran, Russia, or Venezuela.
