U.S. Coast Guard intercepts a second oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday confirmed that the United States Coast Guard“apprehended” an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast.“In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday confirmed that the United States Coast Guard“apprehended” an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast.

“In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region,” Noem wrote in a post on X. “We will find you, and we will stop you.”

Earlier Saturday, two U.S. officials told NBC News that the Coast Guard was in the middle of an ongoing operation off the Venezuelan coast. It was first reported by Reuters.

The Coast Guard took the lead in the operation, both officials said. The U.S. military supported with helicopters that dropped off Coast Guard personnel and observed overhead, one of the officials said.

In her post Saturday, Noem referred to the boat as an “oil tanker” carrying “sanctioned oil,” but did not say whether the boat itself was sanctioned and whether the U.S. had a warrant.