The tanker Aquila II began its journey from Venezuelan waters in early January along with other vessels. According to information provided by the Venezuelan state oil and gas company PDVSA, the ship was supposed to deliver about 700,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil to China. This vessel is under sanctions from the USA, Canada, the UK, and the European Union. The inclusion of the tanker on the American sanctions list is linked to its affiliation with the so-called "shadow fleet" of Russia, as it has connections with the company Sunne Co Limited, which is involved in oil transportation, violating the established price cap on petroleum products following the onset of the conflict in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump announced the introduction of a complete blockade on sanctioned tankers transporting oil from Venezuela in early December. From that moment, American forces began intercepting all tankers heading from Venezuela without the permission of US authorities. Washington accuses Caracas of facilitating drug smuggling into its territory.
"The Department of Defense has been tracking this vessel throughout its journey from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean. Our Armed Forces will find you anywhere — on land, in the air, or at sea, and bring you to justice. You will exhaust your resources long before you can hide from us," the Pentagon stated on the social network X.
