WATCH | US forces seize dark fleet oil tanker 'MT Olina' in the Caribbean Sea, say 'no safe haven for criminals'

US forces on Friday seized crude oil tanker MT Olina (IMO: 9282479) in the Caribbean Sea for illegally transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

Visuals released by the US Southern Command show helicopters hovering over the MT Olina as it was seized by its personnel "without incident". Marines could also be seen moving to various parts of the vessel during the boarding process.

The Timorese-flagged oil tanker, formerly called Minerva M, had reportedly switched off its AIS transponder for nearly two months before it was seized by the US Southern Command.

This tanker is also stateless, as it was allegedly sailing under a false flag of Timor-Leste.

The MT Olina is the fifth dark fleet oil tanker seized by the US as a part of its crackdown on the movement of sanctioned Venezuelan products, like crude oil.

It is part of various nations' sanctions lists—most recently the US in January 2025, for allegedly moving Russian oil to foreign markets.

It is also the third such vessel seized by the US—as a part of its Operation Southern Spear—in three days, after the double capture of the MT Sophia and the Marinera on Wednesday.

"There is no safe haven for criminals," the US Southern Command said in an X post on Friday, announcing the capture.

"Apprehensions like this are backed by the full power of the US Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group, including the ready and lethal platforms of the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale," it added.

Announced by the Donald Trump administration's defence secretary Pete Hegseth, Operation Southern Spear is a US military operation that targets “narco-terrorist” organisations and their operations in the Western Hemisphere.