In predawn operations on January 7, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard seized the M/V Bella 1 in the North Atlantic and the M/T Sophia in international waters near the Caribbean, pursuant to a U.S. federal court warrant for sanctions violations, as announced by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security over the past hour. The Coast Guard tactical teams, coordinated with the Departments of War, Justice, State, and Homeland Security, boarded the vessels without incident, according to a statement from Secretary Noem on X. The M/V Bella 1, pursued for weeks by the USCGC Munro across the high seas, had changed its flag and name in evasion attempts after docking in Venezuela. The M/T Sophia was conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea and is being escorted to the U.S. for disposition under Operation Southern Spear, as stated by U.S. Southern Command. These seizures enforce U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil shipments amid President Donald J. Trump's policy to disrupt narco-terrorism funding, with Secretary Noem declaring the blockade of sanctioned oil "in FULL EFFECT - anywhere in the world," quoting Department of Justice and Homeland Security announcements shared by Pete Hegseth on X during the reporting window. The actions follow a two-week pursuit of the Bella 1, previously reported as MV Marinera flying the Russian flag, and build on Trump's January 7 announcement that Venezuelan interim authorities will transfer 30-50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the U.S., as referenced in prior coverage.
