‘It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order’
By Joe Kovacs
PALM BEACH, Florida – The U.S. Coast Guard was in hot pursuit of a “sanctioned dark fleet” tanker near Venezuela on Sunday, the “second such operation this weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful,” according to Reuters.
“The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a U.S. official said.
“It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.”
Reuters reports: “Another official said the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms – including by sailing or flying close to vessels of concern.
“The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not give a specific location for the operation or name the vessel being pursued.
“British maritime risk management group Vanguard, along with a U.S. maritime security source, identified the vessel as Bella 1, a very large crude oil carrier that was added last year to the sanctions list of the U.S. Treasury Department, which said the vessel has links to Iran.”