US forces seize sanctioned, Russia-flagged oil tanker

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00:00U.S. forces seized what they say is a Venezuelan oil tanker on Wednesday after it avoided a

00:05blockade to stop it. Military and Coast Guard personnel boarded the ship in the North Atlantic

00:10between Iceland and the British Isles. It was believed to be heading to Russia, which is,

00:16of course, a known ally of Venezuela. Now, the ship avoided a blockade two weeks ago and then

00:21was re-flagged as a Russian vessel to try and avoid being captured. Moscow claimed that some

00:26of its citizens were crewing that vessel and demanded humane treatment from the United

00:31States. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt shrugged that off. This was a Venezuelan

00:36shadow fleet vessel that has transported sanctioned oil. The vessel was deemed stateless

00:41after flying a false flag and it had a judicial seizure order. And that's why the crew will be

00:47subject to prosecution. A second tanker flying a Panamanian flag was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard

00:52in the Caribbean. Now, that ship was sanctioned last year for being part of Russia's shadow fleet.

00:57It was believed to be headed to Venezuela.