(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard announced on Friday the seizure of two ships bound for Cuba that were illegally carrying thousands of gallons of diesel fuel amid the ongoing fuel blockade to the country imposed by President Donald Trump.
The Grace, a 300-foot tanker, was seized on Sept. 5 by the Coast Guard and Mexican authorities in the Caribbean Sea between Cuba and Mexico, after it was alleged to use covert operations to traverse the high seas, according to Coast Guard officials. Another ship, carrying 200,000 gallons of fuel, was seized by the Coast Guard in June.
The ships’ seizures came amid the Trump administration’s fuel blockade on Cuba. That move, aimed at trying to force changes to Cuba’s political system, has led to a power crisis in Cuba, marked by prolonged power outages impacting water supply, lighting, refrigeration and communications, according to U.S. officials.
The Grace was brought to Progreso, Mexico, “where a Mexican Navy (MARINA) inspection team confirmed the presence of large quantities of fuel in the vessel’s ballast tanks,” according to a news release from the Coast Guard.
Video first obtained by ABC News shows Coast Guard agents equipped in tactical gear boarding the ship, guns drawn, while a separate Coast Guard boat goes alongside of it.
The Coast Guard also announced the seizure of another Cuba-bound ship, the “Jaira Provider,” which they say was carrying more than 200,000 gallons of fuel when it was seized on June 28.
The Coast Guard said that the fuel in the Jaria Provider was also stored in ballast tanks, which are typically used to hold water or air to control the ship’s buoyancy.
“The high seas are not a sanctuary for lawlessness,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard. “Dark fleet actors who employ deceptive tactics to engage in illicit activities will not evade justice. The Coast Guard is bringing every capability to bear to interdict these vessels and uphold international law.”
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