Observe as American soldiers board an oil tanker flying the Russian flag while helicopters circle the vessel.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday that the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back operations to board two “ghost fleet” tanker ships.

Noem claimed that the motor tanker Bella I and the motor tanker Sofia were last docked in or en route to Venezuela during these operations.

In a post on Twitter, Noem warned narco-terrorists that her best team is ready to find and eliminate them to protect the American people.

The United States released footage showing a helicopter hovering over the ship as armed soldiers were lowered onto the deck.

The soldiers boarded the ship and took control of it.

where they boarded and took control of the ship.“ In two pre-dawn operations today,

the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back, carefully coordinated boardings of two “ghost fleet” tanker vessels –

one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean.

“Both ships – motor tanker Bella I and motor tanker Sofia – were either last docked in Venezuela or on their way there,”

she said. The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker belonging to Venezuela and imposed sanctions on the ship M/T Sofia.

According to US Southern Command, Bella-1 violated US sanctions and M/T Sofia was operating in international waters and conducting illegal activities.”

President Trump’s bold and visionary leadership enabled the U.S. Coast Guard tactical teams worked closely with their counterparts at the Department of War.

Department of Justice and State to use their specialised expertise to conduct these operations and conduct two safe, effective boardings within hours of each other.

One of these tankers, the Motor Tanker Bella I, has been trying to elude the Coast Guard for several weeks, in a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to escape justice.

The tanker even lost its original flag and painted a new name on the hull. Added. In a post on X,

Noem praised the military and said that the “gallant crew of the USCGC Monroe” pursued the ship and helped board the “Ghost Fleet”.“

The heroic crew of USCGC Monroe pursued this ship through high seas and through dangerous storms –

keeping diligent watch, and defending our country with the determination and patriotism that Americans are proud of.

These brave men and women deserve the gratitude of our nation for their selfless devotion to duty.” He said,

“The criminals of the world are on alert. You can run, but you cannot hide.

We will never waver in our mission to protect the American people and disrupt the funding of narco-terrorism wherever we detect it.

This is our nation’s greatest fighting force. It is America’s first force at sea.”