This second tanker is not on a list of vessels sanctioned by the U.S., a source said.

Venezuela’s minister of the interior, Diosdado Cabello, condemned the operation in a Saturday post on Instagram.

“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces and rejects the theft and hijacking of a new private vessel transporting Venezuelan oil, as well as the forced disappearance of its crew, committed by military personnel of the United States of America in international waters,” Cabello said.

Saturday’s operation comes after the U.S. interdicted a large, sanctioned oil tanker known as the Skipper off the coast of Venezuela last week. The ship, previously identified by the Treasury Department as the Adisa, is an oil tanker tied to a sanctions-evading smuggling network that U.S. officials say moved Iranian oil to generate revenue for Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

  • Digitalprimate@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    Kinda? The Finns seized a Russian dark fleet vessel with their military and if I remember correctly held her for several days.

    There is a LOT of discussion about “safe passage” going on in the EU right now regarding this kind of ship. They are very dangerous because they have no P&I insurance if they have a spill (and you bet your ass they are not maintained to any remotely reasonable standard).

    Again, I am not personally in favor of this stuff. Dangerous and irresponsible in multiple ways.