On 20 January 2026, the United States Armed Forces in the Caribbean Sea detained the oil tanker Motor Vessel Sagitta (IMO 9296822). This is the seventh seizure of a vessel linked to violations of sanctions against Venezuela since December 2025. This was officially announced by the US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM).
The operation went off without a hitch. The US military, with support from the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, intercepted a tanker that, according to the authorities, was operating in violation of the ‘quarantine zone’ established by President Donald Trump for sanctioned vessels in the region.
The Sagitta previously sailed under the Panamanian flag, and in recent months under the Guyanese flag or without any flag at all. The owner, Sunne Co Limited (registered in Hong Kong), has already been added to the US Treasury’s OFAC sanctions lists. The tanker is accused of systematically transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela, as well as participating in a ‘shadow fleet’ used to transport oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela under sanctions.
Moscow and Caracas have already condemned the US actions, calling them ‘piracy’ and ‘a violation of international law.’ At the same time, Washington emphasises that the operation is aimed at combating illegal oil trade and ensuring energy security.
The campaign continues: according to open sources, dozens of tankers remain in the Caribbean Basin, potentially subject to quarantine.