The U.S. military successfully seized a fifth tanker in the Caribbean Sea on January 9, 2026, intensifying efforts to curb Venezuelan oil exports. The operation targeted the tanker Olina, which was apprehended without incident by Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear as they launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford. This operation was coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security and supported by the Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group, including the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale.
According to U.S. Southern Command, the seizure was part of a broader strategy to combat illicit oil trafficking. “Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: ‘there is no safe haven for criminals,'” the command stated. The operation took place in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea, where the U.S. Coast Guard executed the boarding and seizure.
Details of the Seizure
The Olina, which was falsely flying the flag of Timor-Leste, had left Venezuela the previous week fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla. An industry source cited by Reuters reported that the vessel’s location tracker had been inactive for 52 days while in Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone northeast of Curacao. The tanker had previously been sanctioned by Washington in January 2024 when it operated under the name Minerva M.
Three other vessels from the same flotilla returned to Venezuelan waters shortly before the seizure, with additional tankers scheduled to follow in the coming days. All oil aboard these ten vessels belongs to the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, according to the industry source.
Official Statements on the Operation
Following the operation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to blocking sanctioned Venezuelan oil globally. “The U.S. blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in full effect anywhere in the world,” he stated. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem echoed these sentiments, describing the Olina as yet another “ghost fleet” tanker suspected of transporting embargoed oil.
This latest seizure follows earlier operations targeting other vessels, including the Sophia and the Bella 1. The U.S. military remains vigilant in its efforts to deter illegal oil shipments and uphold sanctions against the Venezuelan government.
