In a significant escalation of maritime enforcement operations, United States authorities have intercepted and seized an oil tanker that recently departed from Venezuelan waters. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the seizure, marking the second such operation this month targeting vessels carrying Venezuelan petroleum.
The tactical operation, conducted before dawn on December 20th, involved US Coast Guard special teams boarding the Panamanian-flagged crude carrier ‘Centuries’ in international waters. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem publicly shared video evidence of the operation on social media platform X, showing US military helicopters landing on the vessel’s deck.
This enforcement action directly implements President Donald Trump’s recently announced ‘blockade’ directive against sanctioned oil tankers operating in Venezuelan maritime territory. Secretary Noem justified the seizure by stating the vessel was involved in ‘illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region,’ adding the unequivocal warning: ‘We will find you, and we will stop you.’
The operation occurs amidst a substantial increase in US military presence throughout the Caribbean region. Recent weeks have witnessed deadly strikes by US forces against alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessels, resulting in approximately 100 casualties, though no public evidence has been provided regarding drug trafficking allegations.
Washington has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a designated terrorist organization called ‘Cartel de los Soles,’ allegedly financed through illegal oil exports. The Trump administration maintains these oil revenues fund various criminal activities including drug terrorism, human trafficking, and kidnapping.
Venezuela, which possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, remains critically dependent on petroleum exports for government financing. The Maduro administration has previously characterized similar seizures as acts of ‘kidnapping’ crews and ‘stealing’ national resources, though no immediate response has been issued regarding this latest incident.
This seizure follows the earlier December capture of the tanker ‘Skipper,’ which US authorities identified as part of a ‘ghost fleet’ allegedly using concealment strategies to evade sanctions. Both vessels are being redirected to US ports for further investigation.