Overview
- U.S. European Command confirmed the seizure of the Marinera in the North Atlantic under a federal court warrant after a prolonged track that included support from UK reconnaissance assets.
- U.S. Southern Command said it seized the M/T Sophia in the Caribbean, describing it as a stateless sanctioned tanker conducting illicit activity in international waters.
- U.S. Marines and Navy forces launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford to take the M/T Olina, which maritime data shows was falsely flagged and had gone dark for weeks, marking the fifth recent Caribbean interdiction.
- UK officials report identifying powers under the 2018 Sanctions and Anti‑Money Laundering Act to board ships lacking valid flags, with the SBS viewed as the likely unit and more than 500 vessels already sanctioned.
- Russia condemned the Marinera operation as unlawful, with senior figures calling it “21st‑century piracy,” highlighting the legal and diplomatic tensions surrounding the crackdown.