WASHINGTON — The United States has seized an oil tanker that recently departed from Venezuela, marking the second such operation this month amid an escalation of US enforcement actions targeting sanctioned oil shipments, according to US officials.

The operation was carried out by the US Coast Guard under the authority of the US Department of Homeland Security.

Officials said the vessel was intercepted in international waters off Venezuela’s coast and boarded by a specialized tactical team.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the tanker, identified as Centuries, had been last docked in Venezuela.

In a post on X, she described the operation as a “pre-dawn action” and said the seizure was part of efforts to disrupt what Washington describes as the illicit movement of sanctioned oil.

“The United States will continue to pursue the illegal transport of sanctioned oil used to fund narco-terrorism in the region,” Noem said, sharing video footage of US helicopters landing on the ship’s deck.

The Centuries is a Panamanian-flagged vessel that has also sailed under Greek and Liberian flags in recent years, according to shipping records reviewed by BBC Verify. The tanker is not currently listed among vessels sanctioned by the US Treasury Department.

The seizure follows a statement earlier this week by US President Donald Trump, who said he had ordered a “blockade” of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela in violation of US sanctions.

Venezuela has not yet responded to the latest seizure, but has previously accused Washington of attempting to steal its oil resources. President Nicolás Maduro has rejected US allegations that his government uses oil revenues to finance criminal activities.

In recent weeks, the US has increased its military and maritime presence in the Caribbean, conducting interdiction operations and strikes against vessels it claims are involved in drug trafficking linked to Venezuela. US officials have accused Maduro of leading the so-called Cartel de los Soles, an allegation he denies.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States would continue maritime enforcement operations to disrupt illicit networks, adding that “violence, drugs, and chaos will not control the Western Hemisphere.”

Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, relies heavily on oil exports to fund government spending.

The latest seizure comes days after US authorities intercepted another tanker, the Skipper, which the White House said was part of a “ghost fleet” used to conceal sanctioned oil shipments. — BBC