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The United States has announced the seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast over allegations of crude oil theft, piracy, and other transnational crimes.
MarineTraffic identifies Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd as the vessel’s operator, while Marshall Islands–based Triton Navigation Corp is listed as the registered owner.
US President Donald Trump described the tanker as “the largest ever seized”.
A video released by Homeland Security, captioned “KNOCKOUT.” If you threaten our nation or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you,” showed armed officers rappelling from a helicopter onto the vessel.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the tanker had been under sanctions “for multiple years” for allegedly taking part in an illicit oil network that funded foreign terrorist organisations.
She added that the operation was jointly executed by the FBI, the Department of Defence, the Department of Homeland Security, and the US Coast Guard.
The incident represents a fresh flashpoint in the long-standing dispute between Washington and Caracas—a confrontation shaped by ideological tensions, oil interests, and mutual accusations of interference.
Speaking at an earlier rally, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros condemned the seizure as “international piracy”, declaring that Venezuela would never become an “oil colony”.
Maritime risk firm Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as Skipper, saying it had been “spoofing” its location for a prolonged period.
The US Treasury sanctioned the tanker in 2022 for allegedly transporting oil that generated revenue for Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps–Quds Force.
MarineTraffic tracking showed the ship sailing under the Guyanese flag, but Guyana’s Maritime Administration later rejected the flag as “false”, confirming the vessel was not registered in the country.
Available records indicate stops in Iran, Iraq, and the UAE between 30 June and 9 July, with its last confirmed position near Iran in mid-September before reappearing off Guyana in late October — though analysts caution the data may be unreliable due to spoofing. Checks by TheCable reveal that Thomarose Global Ventures, registered in February 2012, is currently listed as inactive by Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
