The United States authorities have intercepted an oil tanker operated by a Nigerian firm, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited off the coast of Venezuela over alleged crude oil theft, piracy and other crimes.
MarineTraffic lists Marshall Islands–based Triton Navigation Corp as the registered owner.
NAIJAONPOINT findings revealed that Thomarose Global Ventures was registered on February 2, 2012, by Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with RC Number – 1007876. The company’s registered office address is 111, Jakpard, Effurun, Delta State and its directors are Thompson Mackintosh and Roseline Mackintosh.
A video released by Homeland Security — captioned “KNOCKOUT. If you threaten our nation, or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you” — shows armed personnel rappelling from a helicopter onto the ship.
Pam Bondi, US attorney-general, said the tanker had been under American sanctions “for multiple years” for allegedly operating within an illicit oil network that financed foreign terrorist groups. She said the FBI, Department of Defence, Department of Homeland Security, and the US Coast Guard jointly carried out the operation.
The development is the latest flashpoint in the long-running rift between Washington and Caracas, a dispute shaped by ideological conflict, oil politics, and mutual accusations of interference.
At an earlier rally, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros denounced the US operation as “international piracy”, insisting Venezuela would never become an “oil colony”.
Maritime risk consultancy Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as Skipper, saying it had been “spoofing” its location for an extended period.
The tanker was sanctioned in 2022 by the US Treasury for allegedly transporting oil that generated revenue for Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps–Quds Force.
Tracking data from MarineTraffic placed the tanker under the Guyanese flag, but Guyana’s Maritime Administration later said the flag was “false”, clarifying that the vessel is not registered in the country.
Available logs suggest the vessel made stops in Iran, Iraq, and the UAE between June 30 and July 9, with its last verified position near Iran in mid-September before reappearing off Guyana in late October — though analysts warn the data may be unreliable due to GPS spoofing.