Exclusive: US Coast Guard lacks forces to seize Venezuela-linked tanker for now, sources say

[usonian]

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-eyes-additional-coast-guard-assets-seize-fleeing-tanker-sources-say-2025-12-24/

WASHINGTON/LONDON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard is waiting for additional forces to arrive before potentially attempting to board and seize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker it has been pursuing since Sunday, a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The ship, which maritime groups have identified as the Bella 1, has refused to be boarded by the Coast Guard. That means that the task will likely fall to one of just two teams of specialists - known as Maritime Security Response Teams - who can board vessels under these circumstances, including by rappelling from helicopters.

The days-long pursuit highlights the mismatch between the Trump administration's desire to seize sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela and the limited resources of the agency that is mainly carrying out operations, the Coast Guard.

Unlike the U.S. Navy, the Coast Guard can carry out law enforcement actions, including boarding and seizing vessels that are under U.S. sanctions.

Translation: Since the Coast Guard has law enforcement authority (Please don't ask what law is being cited or ignored here) it can board vessels, but it is a very small force and stretched thin. When I served, it was said that the NYPD was larger.