A tanker is under US military surveillance about 250 miles off Ireland’s coast. Around a dozen Venezuelan oil ships are trying to dodge a US naval blockade in the Caribbean. These ships are under US sanctions and switched off their transmission signals after leaving Venezuela, says TankerTrackers.com. Satellite images show at least four ships left Venezuela via a northern route past Isla Margarita, a major island resort. The tanker near Ireland started in Iran and planned to pick up Venezuelan oil. It faced the US blockade, left the Caribbean in December, changed its name from Bella 1 to Marinera, and switched registration from Guyanese to Russian. It now appears headed to Russia. US naval forces are not chasing the tanker but P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine planes from the UK and Iceland patrol nearby waters, reports the Irish Times. On Sunday, the US announced a “quarantine” on Venezuelan oil to increase pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s government, after his arrest on drug charges in the US. The blockade, announced by Donald Trump on 16 December, targets Venezuelan oil tankers under sanction. Chevron shipments are exempt. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it one of the biggest naval quarantines in history, aiming to cut Venezuela’s oil income and block its benefits to US adversaries. The New York Times said at least 16 oil tankers recently tried to escape the blockade. They used fake names and false positions, a trick called spoofing. Four ships left port without permission from interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, hinting at defiance. Reuters reported another group of sanctioned ships left Venezuela empty after completing domestic oil tasks. The Venezuelan government called the US actions “piracy.” After Maduro’s capture, it called for a “balanced and respectful” relationship to avoid more military moves.