US Forces Seize Seventh Shadow Fleet Tanker in Caribbean Under Operation Southern Spear

US joint forces operating in the Caribbean detained another sanctions-busting oil tanker as part of Operation Southern Spear, according to a statement released by US Southern Command on January 20.

The vessel, Motor Vessel Sagitta, was intercepted without incident by US military forces acting in support of the Department of Homeland Security. The operation marks the seventh tanker seized by the United States for violating restrictions tied to Venezuelan oil exports.

In a statement published on X, US Southern Command said:

“This morning, US military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended Motor Vessel Sagitta without incident. The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.”

Southern Command emphasized that the operation was carried out safely and reaffirmed that US joint forces continue to operate across the Western Hemisphere with a focus on protecting American security interests.

“As the joint force operates in the Western Hemisphere, we reaffirm that the security of the American people is paramount, demonstrating our commitment to safety and stability.”

While the official statement did not explicitly link Sagitta to Russia, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate reporting has identified the tanker as part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a network of vessels used to transport oil in circumvention of international sanctions imposed by the US, Ukraine, and the European Union.

Operation Southern Spear is backed by what Southern Command described as the “full power of our elite joint force team deployed in the Caribbean,” and is conducted in coordination with the US Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, and the US Department of Justice.

The area of responsibility for the US Southern Command includes Central America, South America, and the Caribbean basin, where Washington has intensified maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit oil shipments and uphold sanctions regimes.

Earlier, reports emerged that Russia was increasingly relying on GPS spoofing—deliberate manipulation of satellite navigation data—to obscure the routes and activities of vessels linked to its so-called shadow fleet.

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