Tanker captain pleads guilty to defying Coast Guard orders

A tanker captain pleaded guilty in U.S. court to disobeying Coast Guard orders during a weeks-long pursuit that crossed the Caribbean and North Atlantic. The vessel carried oil from Iran and Venezuela for sanctioned regimes.

Court proceedings The captain admitted the violations in court.

The case involved repeated instructions from the Coast Guard that were not followed. The tanker operated as part of what authorities describe as a shadow fleet transporting oil for sanctioned countries.

Enforcement context Officials stated that the guilty plea demonstrates enforcement reach over maritime routes used to move restricted cargo. The case remains under the jurisdiction of U.S. courts.