U.S. Cracks Down on Venezuelan Oil Exports with Seizure of Olina Tanker

The U.S. recently seized the Olina tanker near Trinidad, marking the fifth such action in its effort to curb Venezuelan oil exports. The ship, falsely flying the Timor Leste flag, had sailed from Venezuela. The seizure is part of Washington's intensified measures in the Caribbean.

The United States has intensified its efforts to regulate Venezuelan oil exports, recently seizing the Olina tanker in the Caribbean near Trinidad. This marks the fifth such interdiction in recent weeks, according to an official statement from Washington on Friday.

The Olina tanker, according to public shipping database Equasis, was deceitfully flying the flag of Timor Leste. Sources say the ship originally sailed from Venezuela and had made its way back to the region, where it was intercepted and seized on Friday.

This move is part of a larger strategic effort by the U.S. to tighten its control over the transit of Venezuelan oil, reflecting increasing maritime enforcement in the area.

(With inputs from agencies.)