A cargo-laden oil tanker was intercepted in the Caribbean Sea.

Recently, US forces seized a supertanker named Skipper near Venezuelan waters. This vessel flying the Guyanese flag was carrying a total of 1.1 million barrels of crude oil — secretly loaded from Venezuela and Iran, and on its way to Cuba. The problem is: all three countries are on the US blacklist.

FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard all mobilized, with the Pentagon backing them up. Law enforcement officials directly parachuted onto the deck via helicopter, creating quite a scene. US officials said this ship had been under surveillance for a long time because it was involved in an illegal oil smuggling network linked to terrorist organizations.

The timing is also quite sensitive. Trump has been pressuring Venezuelan President Maduro recently, even publicly saying "his days are numbered," and has not ruled out taking stronger measures.

As soon as this happened, the oil market reacted immediately:
• WTI crude rose by 1.2%, to $58.95
• Brent crude increased by 1.15%, to $62.65

Some analysts warn that this seizure will increase the risks for shipping companies to transport Venezuelan crude oil again. After all, no one wants their ships detained in international waters. In the long run, the entire region’s crude oil flow might be reshuffled.

Geopolitical moves cause energy prices to fluctuate. For the crypto market, this kind of uncertainty often boosts safe-haven sentiment — because when traditional markets get chaotic, capital starts looking for alternatives.