The US has seized a sanctioned vessel in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, US officials have reported to BBC News partner CBS. This marks the second ship confiscated by the US within the month.
The recent seizure comes after US President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that he was instituting a blockade on oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
While there has been no official response from Venezuela regarding the latest vessel seizure, the country has previously accused the US of attempting to appropriate its oil resources.
This operation, similar to the earlier one this month, was executed by the US Coast Guard, involving a specialized tactical crew boarding the ship.
In recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in the US military presence in the Caribbean, with reports of deadly strikes conducted against suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessels, which have reportedly resulted in approximately 100 deaths. However, public evidence indicating that these vessels were engaged in drug trafficking has not been provided by the US military, prompting scrutiny from Congress.
The Trump administration has accused President Nicolás Maduro of leading a designated terrorist organization called Cartel de los Soles, a charge he has denied. They claim that Maduro and his group utilize stolen oil to finance various criminal activities, including drug-related terrorism and human trafficking.
Venezuela, home to the world's largest proven oil reserves, heavily relies on oil export revenues to sustain its government funding. Trump's announcement of the blockade came just days after the US seized an oil tanker connected to a so-called ghost fleet off Venezuela's coast, which allegedly employed various tactics to disguise its operations.
According to the White House, the confiscated vessel, named the Skipper, was involved in illicit oil shipping activities and will be brought to a US port. In response to these developments, Maduro claimed that the US kidnapped the crew and stole the ship.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
The recent seizure comes after US President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that he was instituting a blockade on oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
While there has been no official response from Venezuela regarding the latest vessel seizure, the country has previously accused the US of attempting to appropriate its oil resources.
This operation, similar to the earlier one this month, was executed by the US Coast Guard, involving a specialized tactical crew boarding the ship.
In recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in the US military presence in the Caribbean, with reports of deadly strikes conducted against suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessels, which have reportedly resulted in approximately 100 deaths. However, public evidence indicating that these vessels were engaged in drug trafficking has not been provided by the US military, prompting scrutiny from Congress.
The Trump administration has accused President Nicolás Maduro of leading a designated terrorist organization called Cartel de los Soles, a charge he has denied. They claim that Maduro and his group utilize stolen oil to finance various criminal activities, including drug-related terrorism and human trafficking.
Venezuela, home to the world's largest proven oil reserves, heavily relies on oil export revenues to sustain its government funding. Trump's announcement of the blockade came just days after the US seized an oil tanker connected to a so-called ghost fleet off Venezuela's coast, which allegedly employed various tactics to disguise its operations.
According to the White House, the confiscated vessel, named the Skipper, was involved in illicit oil shipping activities and will be brought to a US port. In response to these developments, Maduro claimed that the US kidnapped the crew and stole the ship.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
