The United States proceeded with the seizure of the tanker “Olina,” which was carrying oil from Venezuela, as part of their operations in the Caribbean, as evidenced by videos that have been released showing the raid on the vessel.
Raid on the “Olina” tanker in the Caribbean
According to available information, this particular tanker had departed from Venezuela last week and had been in the crosshairs of American authorities for some time. The vessel is reported to belong to a so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers connected to illegal oil transportation operations.
In January 2025, sanctions had been imposed on the same ship when it operated under the name “Minerva M.” American officials told the Wall Street Journal that the raid was carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard.
False flag and previous seizures
According to the same sources, the tanker “Olina” is reported to have been traveling under a false flag. Its last recorded position was in mid-November, near the Venezuelan coast, when according to the Marine Traffic platform it was flying an East Timor flag.
It should be recalled that on January 7, the United States had proceeded with the seizure of two other tankers in the Atlantic, which were reportedly connected to Venezuela. Initially, the “Sophia” was seized, followed by the Russian “Marinera,” which, according to reports, was being escorted by Russian warships at the time of the American raid.
Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: “there is no safe haven for criminals.”
In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R.… pic.twitter.com/StHo4ufcdx
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 9, 2026
