The United States Coast Guard yesterday pursued another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea as the Donald Trump administration appeared to be intensifying its targeting of such vessels connected to Venezuelan government.

The pursuit of the tanker, which was confirmed by a US official briefed on the operation, comes after the US administration announced on Saturday it had seized a tanker for the second time in less than two weeks.

The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly about the ongoing operation and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said yesterday’s pursuit involved “a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion.”