Several tankers loaded with Venezuelan oil have left the country's waters with their transponders off despite the U.S. blockade, according to a new report.
Reuters noted that about a dozen tankers have managed to leave since the beginning of the year even though President Donald Trump said the embargo remained in full force even after the capture of authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro.
Citing TankerTrackers.com and documents from state-run oil company PDVSA, all tankers referenced by the outlet are under sanctions and most carry Venezuelan crude to China.
The most high-profile case involves the Bella 1, which refused to be boarded by U.S. forces during the last days of December.
The tanker has also changed its name and has been added to an official Russian database, according to another report.
The New York Times noted that the ship has been renamed as the Marinera and has Sochi as a home port, noting that under international law vessels flying a country's flag are under the nation's protection.
The Russian government has also requested its U.S. counterpart to stop pursuing the tanker. The U.S. has not given a formal response to the request and doesn't appear to have stopped pursuing the vessel.
U.S. officials said the ship was not flying a valid national flag when it first approached it, meaning it could be boarded under international law. In the meantime, it has changed course and is heading north, no longer expected to return to Venezuela to load up on oil.
CNN detailed that the Trump administration could decide to abandon the effort to seize the ship, which has turned off its transponder for weeks now. It is unclear whether the request from Moscow will have an impact on the administration's decision.
The tanker has been under U.S. sanctions for a year for transporting Iranian oil that authorities say is sold to finance terrorist activities. Officials obtained a seizure warrant but haven't boarded the vessel.
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