The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia has disclosed details of an operation leading to the boarding and seizure of a tanker, now revealed under a previously sealed warrant. According to a press release, the U.S. Coast Guard carried out the action on December 10, targeting the vessel named M/T Skipper for its alleged involvement in an oil shipping network that supported U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations.
The warrant that facilitated this move was issued by a District of Columbia magistrate judge on November 26, evidencing ramped-up efforts to intercept shipments by entities associated with terrorism. In a statement made by the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro emphasized the significance of the seizure, "As the premiere United States Attorney’s office leading efforts to intercept ghost vessels as well as sanctioned products, we remain committed to legally supporting President Trump’s efforts to make the world a safer place." The M/T Skipper, which had departed from Venezuela, was identified by the Treasury Department's OFAC as being used to aid Hizballah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
Federal authorities have underscored the importance of collaboration in the field of sanctions enforcement. FBI Director Kash Patel explained, "The FBI's Counterintelligence Division and our partners will continue to enforce U.S. sanctions and cut off our adversaries from financial markets and critical technology," as noted by the Justice Department. He praised the success the government achieved in imposing costs upon the governments of Venezuela, and Iran.
On the legal front, the operation to apprehend the assets of the M/T Skipper was authorized under various sections of the U.S. Code that deal with terrorism and seizure of assets. The execution of the seizure was a joint effort by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation after the Coast Guard's initial boarding. Cases like this are prosecuted by the combined efforts of the National Security Division, and Criminal Division, alongside district attorneys.
