The US is preparing a new wave of arrests of oil tankers of the shadow fleet linked to Venezuela
The US government has filed a petition in federal courts to obtain arrest warrants for several dozen more tankers involved in the transportation of Venezuelan oil. This was reported by Reuters with reference to four sources familiar with the case. Thus, Washington is expanding its campaign to control oil flows from South America.
In recent weeks, the US military and the US Coast Guard have already intercepted five vessels in international waters. They were either transporting Venezuelan oil or had previously been involved in such shipments. These actions were part of a strategy to put pressure on the Nicolas Maduro regime, which ended with its capture by US forces on 3 January 2026.
After that, the Donald Trump administration announced its intention to take control of Venezuela's oil resources indefinitely and try to restart the declining industry. In December, the US imposed a maritime blockade that effectively halted exports, but this week supplies have partially resumed under direct US supervision.
According to sources, the US Department of Justice has filed a number of civil forfeiture lawsuits, mostly in Washington courts. This creates legal grounds for the seizure of both oil cargo and the vessels themselves. The exact number of warrants is not disclosed, but it is said to be dozens of cases. The documents and court decisions remain closed.
Most of the tankers that have come to the attention of the US are either under sanctions or belong to the so-called shadow fleet. These vessels disguise the origin of the oil and are used to transport it from countries under sanctions, including Iran, Russia and Venezuela. According to Reuters, there are still a significant number of tankers at sea carrying Venezuelan oil to China, which remains a key buyer.
Sources also note that since Friday, the US has temporarily suspended new arrests, but operations may be resumed for vessels and cargoes not authorised by the US side. The Pentagon has publicly stated its readiness to intercept any shadow fleet vessels at a time convenient for the US.
The latest actions represent an escalation compared to previous years. In 2020 and 2023, US law enforcement usually confiscated only oil without touching the vessels themselves. This time, the United States is also arresting tankers, including vessels flying the Russian flag, which has prompted a sharp reaction from Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry called Washington's actions an illegal use of force and said there were no legal grounds for such sanctions.
Venezuela, Trump, Maduro, shadow fleet, USA
