WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (KUNA) -- Secretary of US Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced on Wednesday the seizure of two linked-Venezuela oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean and in international waters close to the Caribbean Sea.
Tweeting on "X", Noem said the US Coast Guards carried out, before today's dawn, two consecutive and accurately coordinated operations seizing two oil tankers belonging to the so-called "shadow fleet", one of them in the Atlantic Ocean and the other in international waters near the Caribbean Sea.
The oil rankers - Bella I and Sophia were either heading to, or docking in, Venezuela, she added, stating that the U.S. has been conducting such seizure operations since U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a complete blockade of sanctioned tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.
She noted that the "Bella 1" has attempted to evade the US Coast Guard pursuit for weeks, and it even changed its and flag and repainting its hull with a new name, in a desperate but failed attempt to avoid justice.
The crew members of the US Coast Guard cutter "Munro", chased the Bella I vessel in international waters, amid dangerous stormy conditions, persisting on protecting "our" country with resolve and patriotism which make Americans proud, she said.
She elaborated that the US Coast Guard tactical operations teams worked closely with their peers in the Departments of Defense, Justice, and State, using their specialized expertise to carry out these two operations and conduct two safe and effective inspections within a few hours.
Noem went to say that "criminals around the world may run, but they cannot hide", adding "we they will never abandon our mission" to protect the Americans and intercept any source of funding for drugs or terror. (end) rsr.hm