US sells detained Russian oil tankers for scrap

Two Russian-flagged oil tankers, previously detained by U.S. authorities for alleged sanctions violations, have been sold for scrap. The vessels, identified as "Era" (formerly "Marinera" and "Bella 1") and "Lileo" (formerly "Galileo" and "Veronica"), were purchased last month by Dubai-based ship recycling firm Global Marketing Systems for an undisclosed sum.

The "Era" was intercepted in January off the southern coast of Iceland after a weeks-long pursuit across the Atlantic. U.S. authorities stated the tanker was used to transport sanctioned oil cargoes from Venezuela and Iran. Prior to this, it had reportedly evaded a U.S. blockade in the Caribbean aimed at halting Venezuelan oil exports.

Similarly, the "Lileo" was detained by the U.S. in the Caribbean in January. This vessel was also subject to U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia. The U.S. Coast Guard and special military forces were involved in the operations to detain these ships.

These sales follow a larger operation where the U.S. confiscated 10 oil tankers in Venezuela. Ships targeted by sanctions often change names to evade detection. The "Era" and "Lileo" are now destined for scrapyards in India, marking the end of their operational lives.