ADDS REMARKS BY US SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY, ADDITIONAL DETAILS; CHANGES HEAD, DECK, LEDE
By Diyar Guldogan and Asiye Latife Yilmaz
WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL (AA) - The US Coast Guard boarded a fifth oil tanker early Friday as Washington intensified efforts to enforce sanctions on Venezuelan oil shipments, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said.
Noem said the Coast Guard executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea.
"As another 'ghost fleet' tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed Venezuela attempting to evade U.S. forces," she said on US social media company X.
The operation was carried out with support from multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, the State Department, and the Justice Department, she said, adding that the interagency coordination ensured the boarding was conducted safely and in accordance with law.
"The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality," she said.
Separately, the US military's Southern Command (SOUTCOM) said the operation was launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and apprehended the tanker in the Caribbean Sea "without incident."
"There is no safe haven for criminals," it added.
The Trump administration has intensified military operations in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September, citing efforts against narcotics trafficking.
The latest tanker seizures came after the US carried out a Jan. 3 military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Trump said his administration would "run" Venezuela and its oil assets during a transition period.
Earlier, Trump said he cancelled a previously expected second wave of attacks on Venezuela after cooperation from the South American nation. "However, all ships will stay in place for safety and security purposes," he said.