US Seizes Another Oil Tanker Linked to Russia and Venezuela Amid Rising Tensions
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the United States has confiscated the Panama-flagged supertanker M Sophia, a vessel under sanctions for its alleged involvement in transporting Venezuelan oil to China. Reuters reported that the tanker was operating in “dark mode” with its transponder turned off while moving through Venezuelan waters in early January as part of a fleet carrying oil.
Authorities familiar with the matter confirmed that the U.S. seized two vessels today—first the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marine (formerly known as Bela-1) in the Atlantic Ocean, followed by the Venezuela-linked M Sophia in the Caribbean Sea. The actions underscore Washington’s continued enforcement of sanctions against entities facilitating oil exports from sanctioned nations.
