U.S. Coast Guard Seizes Another ‘Ghost Ship’ Trying To Evade American Blockade

American forces seized another sanctioned oil tanker early Friday morning that had departed Venezuela after dodging a United States blockade, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

The Coast Guard boarded the Motor Tanker Olina without incident and took control of the vessel, which was believed to be carrying embargoed oil. 

“The world’s criminals are on notice,” Noem said, sharing a video of the operation on X. “Early this morning, the [Coast Guard] executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed Venezuela attempting to evade U.S. forces.”

The world’s criminals are on notice.

Early this morning, the @USCG executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another “ghost fleet” tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed… pic.twitter.com/vvS3u3nrvl

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 9, 2026

The operation was a joint effort between the State Department, War Department, and the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier this week, the Coast Guard seized two other sanctioned oil tankers. 

“The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality,” Noem said. “The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international law, and eliminate these funding streams for illicit activity including narco-terrorism.”

The ship, which was sanctioned for carrying Russian oil, was previously known as the Minerva M.

U.S. Southern Command also posted footage of the seizure, noting that Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear were involved in the operation. The troops were launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford, Southern Command said. 

“The Department of War’s Operation Southern Spear is unwavering in its mission to defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere,” Southcom said. 

Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: “there is no safe haven for criminals.”

In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS… pic.twitter.com/1ASoajGVHG

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 9, 2026

On Wednesday, the Coast Guard seized two additional oil tankers, including one flying a Russian flag that had previously bypassed an American blockade. The ship, the Marinera, had been on the run for two weeks and was set to be escorted by a Russian submarine and warships. 

Russia protested the seizure, claiming that “no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in other states’ jurisdictions.” 

The second ship, the Bella 1, was seized after it was sanctioned for transporting oil to Iran.