U.S. Seizes Sanctioned Tanker in North Atlantic, Boards Second Near Caribbean

Overview

• The Coast Guard took control of the rebranded Bella 1, now listed as Marinera under a Russian flag, and boarded the M/T Sophia in coordinated pre-dawn actions.
• Officials said both vessels had been docked in Venezuela or bound there, and the North Atlantic seizure followed a pursuit lasting roughly two weeks.
• U.S. Treasury had designated Bella 1 in 2024 for sanctions evasion linked to illicit oil shipments and entities associated with Hezbollah.
• During the chase, the tanker changed its name and flag to complicate jurisdiction, while U.S. authorities reported no Russian ships nearby and no resistance from the crew.
• The actions, conducted under U.S. Southern Command’s Operation Southern Lance with U.K. operational support, prompted a formal diplomatic protest from Moscow.