U.S. Forces Interdict Sanctioned Oil Tanker Veronica III in Indo-Pacific After Quarantine Evasion
HONOLULU, HI — U.S. military forces successfully interdicted and boarded the oil tanker Veronica III in the Indo-Pacific region after the vessel attempted to evade a quarantine order issued during the Trump administration, the Department of War announced Sunday. The operation, conducted within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility, was carried out without incident, underscoring the United States’ commitment to enforcing maritime sanctions and maintaining security in international waters.
The Department of War detailed that the Veronica III had been tracked over an extensive route, beginning in the Caribbean and spanning across the Indian Ocean, as it sought to circumvent the quarantine. “The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine — hoping to slip away. We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down,” the department stated on its official social media account. The statement emphasized the reach and persistence of U.S. forces, declaring, “No other nation has the reach, endurance or will to do this.”
This interdiction is part of ongoing efforts by U.S. forces to enforce sanctions on vessels linked to illicit activities, particularly those involving oil shipments from sanctioned entities. The Veronica III is believed to be connected to such operations, and its seizure reflects the broader strategy to deny illicit actors freedom of movement in the maritime domain. The Department of War reaffirmed its stance, saying, “International waters are not sanctuary. By land, air or sea, we will find you and deliver justice.”
The operation aligns with the mandates of the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which oversee military activities in the region. It also complements the enforcement actions of agencies such as the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), responsible for administering and enforcing economic and trade sanctions.
Experts note that the interdiction of vessels like the Veronica III is critical to curbing the flow of oil shipments that violate sanctions and contribute to geopolitical instability. The U.S. government has increasingly leveraged maritime interdiction operations to uphold international law and prevent the circumvention of sanctions regimes.
According to the U.S. Department of State, such actions send a clear message to illicit actors that attempts to evade sanctions and quarantine orders will be met with decisive enforcement measures. The Veronica III’s seizure serves as a testament to the U.S. military’s operational capabilities and its resolve to maintain the integrity of international maritime regulations.
While the Department of War did not disclose further details about the vessel’s cargo or crew, the peaceful nature of the boarding operation highlights the professionalism and precision of U.S. forces in executing complex maritime interdictions. The incident also underscores the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region as a focal point for enforcing U.S. sanctions and protecting global trade routes.
This interdiction follows a series of similar operations targeting vessels suspected of violating sanctions linked to Venezuela and other sanctioned entities, reinforcing the United States’ commitment to upholding international norms and security. As tensions persist in various geopolitical hotspots, such maritime enforcement actions remain a vital tool in the U.S. government’s broader national security strategy.
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