The U.S. Southern Command announced that U.S. forces boarded an oil tanker in a pre-dawn operation on Friday.

“In a pre-dawn operation, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, working alongside the Department of Homeland Security, departed from the USS Gerald R. Ford and took control of Motor/Tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea without any issues,” the U.S. Southern Command stated in . 

“Such apprehensions are supported by the full capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group, which includes the prepared and combat-effective platforms of the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale,” the statement continued. “Operation Southern Spear, under the Department of War, remains steadfast in its mission to protect our homeland by curbing illegal activities and reestablishing security across the Western Hemisphere.”

The U.S. Southern Command noted that the operation delivered a clear message: “There is no safe haven for criminals.”

“The vessel’s AIS (location) tracker was last operational 52 days ago within the Venezuelan Exclusive Economic Zone, northeast of Curaçao,” British maritime risk management firm Vanguard stated, . “This seizure comes after an extended effort to pursue tankers connected to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the area.”

Reuters, citing Equasis, reported that the Olina was reportedly flying the Timor-Leste flag. The vessel had previously departed from Venezuela and returned to the region, Reuters noted, citing an industry source with firsthand knowledge of the situation.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that “the world’s criminals are on notice” following the latest operation.

“Earlier today, the [U.S. Coast Guard] conducted a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another “ghost fleet” tanker suspected of transporting embargoed oil, this vessel had left Venezuela in an attempt to avoid U.S. forces,” Noem .

“The ghost fleets cannot escape justice. They cannot hide behind false nationality claims. 
The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international laws, and cut off these funding sources for illegal activities, including narco-terrorism,” Noem continued. She also commended the U.S. Coast Guard for its “relentless execution of this mission.”

This marks the fifth such seizure in recent weeks and occurs less than a week after the U.S. conducted a bold operation in Venezuela, resulting in the arrest of dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cili Flores.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more details.

‘ James Levinson contributed to this report.