The seizure was a joint effort between the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the US coastguard, with support from the department of defence.
The vessel was a VLCC, or “very large crude container”, capable of transporting as much as 320,000 deadweight tons of crude, sources told Axios.
The oil tanker, called “The Skipper”, was sanctioned by Washington in 2022 over ties to Iran and Hezbollah, CBS News reported.
In response, the Venezuelan government accused the US of “blatant theft” and “an act of international piracy”, vowing to “defend its sovereignty, natural resources, and national dignity with absolute determination”.
